College Volleyball
Rider University 3, Fairleigh Dickinson University 1

LAWRENCEVILLE—For the second time in less than a week, the Rider University volleyball team defeated Fairleigh Dickinson University, scoring a 3-1 victory in the home opener on Wednesday evening in Alumni Gymnasium.

Rider won the match 25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 25-14.

"We kind of took our foot off the gas in the third set," said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  "But a win is a win and I was happy with the way we battled back in set four."

For Rider (3-5), freshman Jennifer Borio (Ridley Park, Pa./Padua Academy) had 12 kills and hit .579.

“We have a nice balance from seniors to freshmen,” said Feliciano.  “At times it is going to be a struggle for us but we had some flashes of what we are capable of tonight.”

“Jennifer works hard in practice,” Feliciano said.  “Our setters are getting used to a different type of position player because we now have a right-hander instead of a lefty at the position.  Jen is coming along well and she is only going to be as strong as the teammates around her.”

“We had a tough loss at La Salle last night,” Borio said.  “We wanted to come out strong and prove to ourselves what we can do.  Tonight was a big team effort.”

Senior Jaclyn Webber (Anaheim, Calif./Canyon) had 26 digs and 11 kills.  Webber was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for all matches last week, including a 19 kill, 17 dig effort against the Knights at Fordham's Rose Hill Classic as Rider won 3-0 over FDU.

“What I like about Jaclyn is that her role has changed every year but she is a gamer,” Feliciano said.  “She has never stepped away from that challenge; in fact she relishes it.  When the match is tight she wants the ball.”

An 86 match veteran, Webber now has 989 career points, 884 digs and 865 kills.

Also for the Broncs, senior Ashlee Amatulli (Menifee, Calif./Temecula Valley) had 24 assists and 11 digs, sophomore Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) had 13 kills and 12 digs, sophomore Ryan Ackermann (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) had 15 kills and nine digs and junior Brandie Hill had 18 assists.

“We had some good passing tonight and you can't do anything without that,” Webber said about Amatulli and Hill.  “As much as the upperclassmen are teaching the younger players, they (the freshmen) are teaching me a lot as well and playing against that those types of players in practice that makes it a different ball game.”

The match featured 26 ties and 13 lead changes with Rider out-hitting FDU .251 to .131.

Rider hosts Saint Peter's to open conference play on Wednesday, September 17.

-RU-