LEWISTON, NY - Senior Emma Rose set a new program record for career assists in the rally scoring era in leading the Iona College volleyball team to a three-set thrashing of Niagara in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at the Gallagher Center. The Gaels won their 10th straight league contest, improving to 12-1 in MAAC play.
 
Entering the day with the eighth highest assist per set (11.66/set) average in NCAA Division I, Rose posted 48 assists (16.00/set), well above her season average. Her career assist total of 2,948 surpassed former teammate Natalie Ziskin's 2,906 set from 2015-2018.
 
Rose added 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. The 48 assists were a career-high in a three-set match for Rose, and three shy of the three-set, single-match school record. Rose also led the Gaels to an incredible .388 hitting percentage. Over the team's last three MAAC victories (all sweeps), Iona has hit .370.
 
Four Gaels recorded double-digit points led by junior Tess Connolly's 13-kill effort. Connolly added 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. She hit .545, a 2018 season-high for the Gaels in which the player recorded 20 or more attempts.
 
Senior Claire Archibald also recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs. She posted three blocks and an ace for a team-best 14.5 points. Archibald recorded her team-leading 15th double-double of the year.
 
Senior Mia Bonsignore hit a massive .643 with 10 kills on 14 attempts with just one error. Sophomore Jamie Smith also hit well at .348 with 10 kills and five digs.
 
Red shirt junior libero Jessica Paolucci had 14 digs and three aces in the win.
 
The Gaels recorded 57 kills in the three-set match, a single-game record in the 25-point rally scoring era. The 54 assists also set a single-match record since set winning scores became 25 points.
 
Iona continues action in Western New York Sunday afternoon when they take on Canisius at the Koessler Center. The Griffs are unbeaten (7-0) at home this season, are winners of four-straight matches and stand two games behind the Gaels in second place in the MAAC standings.