Marist volleyball secured its first Metro conference playoff berth since 2023 with a victory over Niagara, extending its winning streak to seven games.
Marist moves to 11-4 in Metro play and awaits the result of Siena’s matchup against Canisius — with a Siena loss, the Red Foxes will hold sole possession of second place in conference standings.
The Red Foxes suffered a major blow early in the opening set when sophomore outside hitter Mallory Reck went down with a left knee injury. Reck exited the match with Marist leading 7-3, and was later seen on the sidelines with her left knee wrapped, moving around on crutches. The sophomore entered the matchup as Marist’s leading offensive player, with a team-high 400 kills this season.
Her absence came at a critical point in the season, with Marist entering the match tied for second in the Metro standings at 10-4 and looking to secure its first conference tournament appearance in 3 years. With six consecutive wins behind them, the Red Foxes were looking to continue their strongest stretch of the season while navigating the loss of one of their key players.
Despite losing Reck, sophomore setter Caelyn Dumas continued to be a bright spot for the Red Foxes, orchestrating the offense and distributing the ball across the lineup. Dumas entered the matchup fresh off her fourth Metro Setter of the Week honors of the season after recording 131 assists over her previous three matches, averaging 11.91 assists per game.
Junior middle blocker Sarah Bumstead paced Marist with 13 kills, while freshman outside hitter Heidi Chambers added 11. Niagara’s junior outside hitter Karlotta Kattai led all players with 17 kills, but Marist’s balanced attack proved more efficient, finishing with a .304 hitting percentage compared to Niagara’s .128.
Dumas’ ability to spread the ball around was evident in the opening set, as freshman outside hitter/middle blocker Molly Malone and Chambers stepped up to help Marist maintain control following Reck’s departure.
After opening the match with a 25-16 first-set victory, Marist ran into more resistance in the second set as Niagara looked to even the match. The Red Foxes struggled to create separation, trading points with the Purple Eagles through the early stages. Malone and Chambers helped keep Marist within reach, while junior middle blocker Sarah Bumstead added another kill off an assist from Dumas.
Niagara began to find its rhythm offensively, taking advantage of several Marist errors to build a four-point advantage. The Red Foxes continued to fight their way back, using a service ace from senior libero Cecilia Potter-Pessoa and another from senior outside hitter Sara Dasic to keep the set within reach. With the score tied at 17, neither team could gain much separation as the two teams continued trading points.
Marist appeared poised to take the set after a Bumstead kill brought the score to 23-22, but Niagara answered to force extra points. The Red Foxes tied the set at 24, but the Purple Eagles managed to score the final two points to take the set 26-24 and even the match.
Rather than letting the narrow second-set loss carry over, Marist came out with renewed energy in the third. The Red Foxes quickly established control, building an early advantage behind contributions from Malone, Chambers and senior right-side hitter Trinity Woods. Dumas continued to distribute the ball effectively, allowing Marist to find production from multiple hitters.
As the set progressed, the Red Foxes created even more separation. Dasic added a service ace to extend the lead, while Malone continued to find openings at the net. With Niagara unable to find an answer to the Red Foxes offensive push, Marist closed out the set comfortably. Bumstead delivered the final kill off another Dumas assist, securing a 25-12 victory and putting Marist one set away from taking the match.
Niagara continued to hang around, eventually tying the set at 6. However, Marist began to pull away midway through the set. The Red Foxes continued to capitalize on Niagara’s mistakes, extending their lead to 17-10. Dumas, Dasic, and Chambers each contributed kills during the stretch, while Marist’s defense added to the pressure with blocks from Woods and junior middle blocker Savannah Smith.
Niagara attempted to make a late push, cutting the deficit to 22-17, but Marist maintained control. Dasic recorded another service ace before the Red Foxes closed out the match, taking the fourth set 25-19.
Marist now turns their attention to Canisius, when they return to the court tomorrow at 2 p.m.
Edited by August Lieberman
Graphic by Xavier Angel
Photo via Marist Athletics
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