College Volleyball
Canisius College 3, Rider University 1
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match
LAWRENCEVILLE-Trailing two sets to none, the Rider University volleyball team rebounded to take set three before losing in four sets to Canisius College in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Griffins won 25-22, 25-11, 21-25, 25-16.
"We competed really well in sets one, three, and four," said head coach Emily Ahlquist. "I was very proud of how we played after coming back from the 10 minute intermission. We came out and fought. We had the time to regroup (after the 14-point loss in set two) and come out and compete again and that is what we did. We were right there in the fourth set."
For Rider (3-16, 1-7 MAAC), freshman Briana Wallace (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) had 13 kills, hitting .250 in the match with junior Katelyn Thompson (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills) adding 16 digs and seven kills.
"Briana played with very high energy and was very competitive," Ahlquist said. "She just goes after it. She gives us a lot of energy and fight as well as a lot of athletic ability. And Katelyn, she did a real nice job in both the front and back row. She came in off the bench and pushed the team. She is a fantastic team player and was exactly what the team needed her to be today."
Senior Alex Chapla (Aliquippa, Pa./Center Area) just missed a 'double-double' with 12 kills and nine digs. Chapla also added four blocks.
"Alex had a good day as well today, Ahlquist said. "Hitting and blocking, she did well."
Junior Amanda Piccolini (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) led the Broncs with 42 assists and had 14 digs with senior Amy Jeary (Depew, N.Y./St. Mary's) adding 20 digs.
Set one was a close battle with Canisius opening play by winning six of the first 10 points. Leading 10-9, the Golden Griffins scored the next five to open up a six-point lead before Rider got to within one (16-15) with kills by Chapla, Nagy and junior Kristy Love (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland). Love finished with six kills and Nagy one. Canisius took a 22-19 lead off a kill and service ace, eventually winning the set by three.
Set two was all Golden Griffins as Canisius scored 13 of the first 16 points of the set to lead by 10, eventually winning by 14 heading into the intermission.
Tied at 17 in the third set, Rider went on a 5-0 run, off of three attack errors by Canisius and kills by Love and Chapla to take a 22-17 lead. Canisius staved off three set points before senior Brittany Hayes (Mitchellville, Md./Elizabeth Seton) hit her second kill of the set to clinch the win for the Broncs. Hayes had eight kills and hit .286 in the match. The set featured 11 ties and four lead changes.
The Golden Griffins broke a 4-4 tie in the fourth set with an 11-4 run and leading 15-9, scored 10 of the final 15 points to clinch the match.
Canisius swept Rider last season and the Golden Griffins have now won 14 of the 17 matches all-time against the Broncs including the last seven in a row. The teams meet again in Buffalo, New York on October 31.
The Broncs have lost four straight.
Rider travels to Poughkeepsie, New York to take on Marist in a MAAC match on October 17 before traveling to Fairfield, Connecticut to take on the Stags October 18. Rider defeated Fairfield 3-1 on September 27 in Lawrenceville.
"This is our turning point weekend where we see Marist for the first time and then we start the second round of the conference schedule," Ahlquist said. "I always like to see teams the second time around to see our improvements. Obviously we beat Fairfield on our home court and now we have to go there and see what we do on their home court."
-RU-
