College Volleyball
Rider University 3, Niagara University 1
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University volleyball team won its fourth match in a row, scoring a come from behind 3-1 win over Niagara University on Sunday afternoon in Alumni Gymnasium.

“We didn't play our best match today,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “The best way to describe the effort is gutsy.  Good teams find ways to win matches.  Credit to Niagara, they came at us hard and were well prepared.”

Rider won 23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22 in a match that featured 37 ties and 14 lead changes.

With the victory, Rider (16-11, 9-4 MAAC) has surpassed its win total from the 2013 season.

For the Broncs, sophomore Ryan Ackermann (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) had 14 kills and four digs, attacking .385 with freshman Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) compiling 17 digs and 17 assists.

“When we pass the ball well, we are hard to play against,” Feliciano said.  “When we don't, we have to rely on our blocking and our defense.  Ryan adjusted, especially in the fourth set and that helped us  with that big run to win the set.  And Veronica, she focused on playing strong defense and made a lot of hustle plays.”

“We started off slow with our energy,” Koval said.  “We picked up the intensity in the second, third and fourth sets.  The hitters made great decisions.  Niagara was hard to put a ball down against.  They (Niagara) were scrappy and came in well prepared.”

“This wasn't our best played match,” said Ackermann.  “We pulled it together and got our heads in the game and got the win.  Our goal is to keep building and we will work hard to make next season better than this season.”

Also for Rider, sophomore Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) had 12 kills and eight blocks and freshman Jennifer Borio (Ridley Park, Pa./Padua Academy) had 10 kills.

Senior Ashlee Amatulli (Menifee, Calif./Temecula Valley) led the setters with 21 assists and she added 13 digs and three kills and freshman Emma Aldaya (Prospect Park, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) added 19 digs and 10 assists.

Rider out-hit Niagara (11-14, 7-7 MAAC) .237 to .117.

The Broncs won at Niagara 3-1 on September 27 and swept the season series for the second season in a row.  Niagara swept Rider in 2012, winning both conference matches 3-1.  Rider has won 10 of 28 matches all-time against the Purple Eagles including the last four in a row.

Rider improved to 9-1 at home this season.

“Our home record is a testament to the player's discipline,” Feliciano said.  “When you are on the road and in a hotel, everything is set by itinerary.  When you are at home, you have to make good decisions and our team has made some outstanding choices, whether it is to go over the scouting report or watch a video or just to be together and watch a movie, just being a good family together and holding each other to a higher standard and because of that, the results have been very positive.”

Rider travels to Manhattan for a MAAC match on November 5 at 7pm, the first of three road matches in a row.

“We are going to enjoy today's win,” Feliciano added.  “We have surpassed a lot of our goals for the season but a few remain.  There is a bigger goal and we are starting to believe that it could happen.”

-RU-