College Volleyball
Rider University 3, Delaware State University 0

LAWRENCEVILLE—Led by freshman Jennifer Borio (Ridley Park, Pa./Padua Academy), the Rider University volleyball team won its seventh match in a row, defeating Delaware State University 3-0 on Wednesday evening in Alumni Gymnasium.

In a match that featured 21 ties and 12 lead changes, Rider (11-7) won 25-21, 25-21, 25-19 to remain undefeated at home (5-0).

“A win is a win,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “We are lacking discipline in a lot of areas.  We turn it on and turn it off and there needs to be consistency in what we are doing.  We found a way to win.  Any coach of any team wants to see their team execute and we need to get better at that.”

Borio had 14 kills and had an attack percentage of .520.

“Jennifer is having a great rookie campaign,” Feliciano said.  “She is becoming more consistent and that is a great thing for our offense.”

“We won but we know we have to come back and work harder this week as we head back into conference play,” Borio said.  “”We need to treat every match with the same intensity.”

Senior Jaclyn Webber (Anaheim, Calif./Canyon) hit a milestone for Rider in set two, recording career dig 1,000.  Webber finished with 11 digs and added two blocks.  Earlier this season, Webber recorded career point 1,000 and she is 38 kills away from the 1,000 mark in that category.

Also for the Broncs, sophomore Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) had 12 kills with freshman Emma Aldaya (Prospect Park, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) adding 20 digs.

Aldaya, who named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week on Tuesday, earned another accolade on Wednesday when she was named Rookie of the Week by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Freshman Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) (15 assists) and senior Ashlee Amatulli (Menifee, Calif./Temecula Valley) (13 assists) led the setters.

Rider and Delaware State last met on October 23, 2013 also in Lawrenceville when the Broncs won 3-0 over the Hornets.

Rider is now 6-0 all-time against Delaware State. 

Rider and DSU met on October 25, 2012, when the Broncs won 3-1, including three 25-23 sets in a row after losing the opening set 25-10 to the Hornets.

Off to its best start in the 18 seasons in the MAAC, Rider hosts Fairfield and Quinnipiac in a pair of conference matches this weekend, both beginning at 1pm.

“We need to come in tomorrow and practice hard,” Feliciano said.  “We need to be engaged and focused.  When a team with heart outhustles a team with talent, the team with heart is going to win most of the time.  We need to understand our identity and put in the appropriate effort.  It feels good to win but we have to be tougher on ourselves.”

-RU-