College Volleyball
Rider University 3, Quinnipiac University 0
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University volleyball team rebounded from its first conference loss of the season to defeat Quinnipiac University on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Bobcats 3-0 in Alumni Gymnasium.

“I'm proud of the team for bouncing back from a tough loss to Fairfield yesterday,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “I thought we played with a lot more discipline.  I want to congratulate the team for already matching the win total in conference play from 2013.”

Rider (12-8, 6-1 MAAC) matched its conference win total from a year ago with a 25-20, 25-16, 25-20 victory.

For the Broncs, sophomore Ryan Ackermann (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) had nine kills and two blocks while attacking .353 with sophomore Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) adding eight kills, five blocks and an attack percentage of .533.

“We just went out and worked on forgetting what happened yesterday and did what we had to do to win this match,” Ackermann said.  “We communicated and made adjustments when we had to today and played solid.  I hit a lot of lines today so that approach went well for me.”

Freshman Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) led the setters with 21 assists and three digs and senior Ashlee Amatulli (Menifee, Calif./Temecula Valley) had 16 assists, five digs and two service aces.

“My passers and the hitters really put me in a good position where I was able to get the assists today,” Koval said.

This is Rider's third win in eight matches against the Bobcats.  The teams split two matches in 2013, with each team winning on their home court.

The teams meet again in Hamden, Connecticut on October 26.

Today's match marked the end of a five-match home stand and Rider improved to 6-1 in Alumni Gym this season.

Rider hits the road for four straight matches, beginning with two MAAC matches at Marist and at Siena on October 18-19.

“It is refreshing that we are playing conference matches in mid October that matter,” Feliciano said.  “Meaningful matches this far in the season is exciting and we are looking to take advantage of the opportunity.  We want to contend year in and year out and our effort this season is laying that foundation.”

-RU-