SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Colgate used a strong team effort to capture a 3-1 (25-10, 25-15, 23-25, 25-18) season-opening victory over Niagara at the Syracuse Tournament Friday afternoon.
 
Three Raiders finished with double-doubles in the season-opener, led by first-year Alli Lowe's impressive 17 spikes and 13 digs. Senior setter Lauren Sanderson registered a double-double with a career-high 37 assists and 13 digs. Junior Katie Stansbury added 13 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season.
 
Three blocks and a kill from sophomore Taylor Flaherty helped Colgate string together an early 7-1 run in the opening set as Niagara was forced to burn a timeout when the Raiders were up 8-2. Colgate continued to cruise, working its lead up to 15-4 following Stansbury spike. The Purple Eagles weren't able to get within closer than nine points the rest of the way as Colgate claimed the opening set, 25-10.
 
Niagara held an early 4-3 lead in the second set, but it would prove to be the Purple Eagles' only advantage as four-straight Raider kills put Colgate in front 7-4. Three spikes from Lowe helped the Raiders stretch their advantage to 13-7. Colgate kept at least a five-point lead for the rest of the set before back-to-back kills from Stansbury and junior Amanda Smith secured a 25-15 set-two victory and 2-0 match advantage.
 
The Raiders found themselves down by five late in the third set at 22-17 before back-to-back kills from Lowe forced a Niagara timeout with the score at 22-19. Lowe continued to impress out of the timeout with another kill and a solo block to pull Colgate within 24-23. A Raider service error helped Niagara stay alive, however, as the Purple Eagles held on to claim a 25-23 set-three win.
 
Colgate came out with a vengeance in the fourth set as three kills from Lowe helped the Raiders to an early 7-1 advantage. The Purple Eagles answered right back to trim the Colgate lead to 11-9, but Colgate rattled off seven of the next nine points to take a comfortable 18-11 lead. Niagara wouldn't get closer than three the rest of the way as three-straight kills from Lowe secured the 25-18 set win and 3-1 match victory.
 
BOTTOM LINE

• Colgate 3, Niagara 1 (25-10, 25-15, 23-25, 25-18)

 
WON-LOST RECORDS

• The Raiders move to 1-0 on the season.
• Niagara falls to 0-1.

 
KEY RAIDER INFO

• Lowe finished with a team-best 17 kills, 13 digs and three total blocks to record her first-career double-double.
• Sanderson dished a team-high 37 assists to go along with 13 digs, three kills and two total blocks.
• Smith smacked 10 kills to go along with four total blocks.
• Flaherty led the team with six total blocks.
• Junior Jaelah Hutchison hit a team-best .318 with eight kills.
• First-year Bridget Kolsky registered a squad-best 16 digs.

 
FACTS & FIGURES

• The Raiders held the Purple Eagles to a stingy .019 hitting percentage compared to Colgate's own .201 clip.
• Colgate held a 58-30 kill advantage.
• The Raiders stuffed 10.0 team blocks against Niagara's 7.0.

 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Ryan Baker

• "I really like how our team battled. In the first two sets everything was firing. Between sets two and three, Niagara really responded with great defense which shook our confidence. Overall, there were some great things, especially our block and defense. Both Jaelah and Taylor controlled the net well."
• "We had too many errors overall, but I will mark that up to nerves. I can't wait to see how we play tomorrow."

 
UP NEXT

• The Raiders continue their three-match stint in Syracuse Saturday with a pair of matches against Siena and the Orange.
• Colgate faces Siena at 3 p.m. Saturday before taking on host Syracuse in the tournament finale at 8 p.m.