College Volleyball
Niagara University 3, Rider University 0
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match
LAWRENCEVILLE?The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match against Niagara Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gym. “We came out flat and uninspired,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.
The Purple Eagles defeated Rider (2-21, 0-13 MAAC) in three straight 30-12, 30-25, 30-14.
Senior Katrina Stehle (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) led the Broncs with 13 digs with freshman Amanda Piccolini (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) adding 14 assists.
“I'm mad,” Ahlquist said. “You can lose a match while fighting and being competitive and we didn't do that. There was no fight. The players have all of the knowledge and all of the tools and just didn't put it together.”
Sophomore Amy Jeary (Depew, N.Y./St. Mary's) had 12 digs with freshman Katelyn Thompson (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills) compiling 10 digs.
Freshman Kristy Love (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) had four blocks for Rider.
The Broncs were down to eight available players for the second match in a row with three injured and three serving the second of a two game suspension for a violation of team rules.
Niagara (6-15, 4-8 MAAC) defeated the Broncs in Western New York on September 16, three games to two and lead the overall series 10-4.
The Broncs host Canisius in a MAAC match on Sunday at 1:00pm.
“The positive is that we will have more players available against Canisius on Sunday,” Ahlquist added. “And we will have two teams that are pretty even so it should be a good match.”
