College Volleyball
Fairfield University 3, Rider University 1
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match
FAIRFIELD, Conn.--The Rider University volleyball team took Fairfield University to four sets before losing a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Sunday afternoon.
The Stags won 25-14, 23-25, 25-10, 25-20.
"We stole the second set from Fairfield but couldn't sustain the momentum going into the third and fourth sets," said head coach Christopher Feliciano. "Fairfield made less errors. We aren't recognizing the true potential that we have. Sometimes I think we are getting caught up in worrying about the other team more so than doing what we are supposed to do."
For Rider (4-15, 2-5 MAAC), junior Brittany Gajewski (Whitehouse Station/Hunterdon Central Regional) had 22 assists with freshman Ashlee Amatulli (Menifee, Calif./Temecula Valley) adding 17 assists and nine digs.
Sophomore Bridget Sheerin (Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist) had 11 assists and freshman Jaclyn Webber (Anaheim, Calif./Canyon) had nine digs and eight kills for the Broncs.
"We are playing better and now we have to translate that into more wins," said Feliciano. "We are still fighting for one of the spots in the four-team conference playoffs but now we have to win some matches and get some luck with the top teams losing as well. I like the fact that we are growing as a team and working to improve. These 16 young ladies are working hard to change the culture and become relevant and each match, we are taking those steps."
The Stags defeated Rider twice last season, 3-0 in Lawrenceville and 3-1 at Fairfield and the Stags now lead the all-time series 18-5. Rider and Fairfield split the season series in 2009, with Rider giving the Stags one of only two conference losses that season.
Rider and Fairfield meet against in a MAAC match on October 30 in Lawrenceville.
Rider hosts Loyola University Maryland for a 3pm MAAC match on October 8 before four straight conference matches on the road heading into the end of the month.
"The home match against Loyola isn't a 'must win' but it is certainly important," Feliciano added. "The teams knows it needs to start winning matches, you don't want any additional pressure, they know what they have to do and we also know we've let some MAAC matches slip through our hands and we need to make up for that beginning this coming weekend."
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