College Volleyball
Iona College 3, Rider University 0
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match
LAWRENCEVILLE--The Rider University volleyball team was swept by Iona College in the final home match of the 2010 regular season Sunday afternoon.
The Gaels prevailed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match 25-16, 25-12, 25-14.
For Rider (3-25, 2-16 MAAC), senior Kristy Love (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) had 10 kills and hit .261 with senior Elyse Grassmuck (San Antonio, Texas/La Vernia) compiling a team-high 12 digs.
Senior Amanda Piccolini (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) added 16 assists and five digs with sophomore Haley Wilson (Williamsburg, Iowa/Williamsburg) and sophomore Brittany Gajewski (Whitehouse Station/Hunterdon Central Regional) each adding 11 digs.
Prior to the match, Rider honored its graduating seniors, Love, Grassmuck, Piccolini, Katelyn Thompson (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills) and grad student Alex Chapla (Aliquippa, Pa./Center Area).
"Senior day is always an emotional event," said head coach Emily Ahlquist. "We honored five seniors who play most of the time and we never got over that emotion. We never got it going."
Iona defeated Rider in New Rochelle, New York on October 2 by a 3-0 score and the Gaels lead the overall series 20-3. Rider last defeated Iona during the 1999 season.
Rider travels to Orlando, Florida for the 10-team, double-elimination MAAC Championships at Disney's Wide World of Sports November 18-20.
"The nice thing is that the season is continuing," Ahlquist said. "We get to go after it. We are very excited and look forward to surprising some people. We are 0-0 heading down there and it is a fresh start for everyone. The emotion is taken out of it and the level of play is raised."
The official pairings for the tournament will be announced by the conference Monday.
-RU-
