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

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University volleyball team won its second straight match and remained tied for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 3-1 victory over Quinnipiac University on Saturday afternoon in Alumni Gymnasium.

The win clinches a playoff berth for the Broncs for the first time since the 2004 season.

Rider (16-13, 11-4 MAAC) won 25-22, 15-25, 25-17, 25-14 in a match that featured 22 ties and 10 lead changes.

“We played well,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “Set two we kind of broke down but were able to recover.  When we are firing on all cylinders, we are a really good volleyball team.”

For the Broncs, sophomore Jennifer Borio (Ridley Park, Pa./Padua Academy) had 11 kills, two digs and two blocks with freshman Hailey Riede (Haworth/Northern Valley-Demarest) and junior Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) each adding 13 kills.

“We don't have one 'star' player but cumulatively, we have very good players overall and are a good team and Jennifer is part of that,” Feliciano said.  “Jen finds way to help us and if it isn't her, then it is Hailey and if not Hailey, it's Nicole.  The list goes on and on.  Jen got kills, especially in the third set when the match was tied 1-1.  Her four kills actually equaled eight points and took Quinnipiac out of system.”

Leading the setters was sophomore Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) (27 assists, three service aces) with senior Brandie Hill (Portland, Ore./Lincoln) adding 14 assists and two service aces.

Sophomore Emma Aldaya (Prospect Park, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) had a match-high 24 digs and senior Nicole Moorman (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area HS) added four blocks.

Rider improved to 7-1 at home with the win and the Broncs have won 16 of their last 20 matches in Alumni Gym.  Over 400 fans attended the match as Rider University celebrated Family Weekend on campus.

“Today's crowd was my favorite,” Feliciano said.  “People came in and supported us as well as the families of the players who are at every match.  The crowd was loud and helped us push through and we are thankful for their support.”

Rider won at Quinnipiac 3-0 on October 3 to sweep the season series.

With 11 conference wins, Rider has now exceeded its MAAC win total from last season with three MAAC matches remaining.

The Broncs host Fairfield University on Sunday at 1pm in the final home match of the 2015 season.  Prior to the match, Rider will honor its senior class, Nicole Moorman and Brandie Hill.

“This team is really amazing,” Moorman said.  “We've worked really hard for this and it's been a beautiful ride.”

“It feels surreal that our final home match is tomorrow,” Hill added.

With Canisius and Niagara losing on Saturday, Rider clinched a spot in the MAAC playoffs November 20-22 at Siena College.

“We are looking at Sunday as another match,” Feliciano said.  “It's an important match but not to the point that we have to harp on it.  We need to play like the team that we were in sets one, three and four today.  Playing meaningful matches at this point of the season was a goal and we have taken those steps.  Now the challenge is dealing with pressure and expectations and we are going to have fun with that. This is playoff volleyball and it is exciting.”

-RU-