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

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University volleyball team lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match to Manhattan College on Wednesday evening at Alumni Gymnasium.

The Jaspers won 25-21, 26-24, 18-25, 25-21.

“We had a good showing in bits and pieces,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “We just lacked emotional consistency.  There were moments of outstanding volleyball and moments that didn't happen.  Because we are a better team, our opponents are giving a better effort and focusing more on us and we have to match that.”

Junior Ryan Ackermann (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) led Rider (14-13, 9-4 MAAC) with 18 kills with sophomore Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) adding 25 assists and 11 digs.

Senior Brandie Hill (Portland, Ore./Lincoln) had 22 assists and 11 digs for the Broncs, junior Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) had 12 kills and attacked .379 with sophomore Jennifer Borio (Ridley Park, Pa./Padua Academy) adding 10 kills.

Rider and Manhattan (15-11, 9-4 MAAC) met just 18 days ago when the Broncs scored a five-set win over the Jaspers in Riverdale, New York, winning the deciding set 15-13.

“Manhattan hit with more consistency,” Feliciano said.  “That was the difference between the two matches.  We have a good team in the gym and we have to use these losses to learn some hard lessons.”

Manhattan improves to 27-8 all-time over Rider and this is the fourth season in a row that the teams have split the season series.

After winning nine of 10 matches to open conference play, Rider has lost three straight and this was the first home loss of the season.

The match was Code Cranberry for the Rider student-athletes and drew over 375 fans and students.

“Thanks to everyone who came out,” Feliciano said.  “I wish we put together a better match.”

Code Cranberry is an initiative designed to express a unified show of support among varsity athletes at Rider University.

There is a slogan among Rider athletes, that there are 380 athletes, 20 sports but 1 team. Rider SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Council), SAM (Student-Athlete Mentors) and members of the Captains' Leadership Seminar took that slogan and expanded it to create Code Cranberry.

On designated Code Cranberry dates, all varsity student-athletes are asked to come out to the contest, wearing their Code Cranberry tee shirt, and cheer on their fellow student-athletes in an effort to show that while they compete in different sports, they are all part of one team, and that team is Rider Athletics.

Rider hosts Saint Peter's in a MAAC match on Saturday at noon.

“Saturday is a must win,” Feliciano added.  “We have five matches to go and a win will put us at 10 conference wins and in a good spot for the playoffs.”

-RU-