College Volleyball
Rider University 3, Iona College 0
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match

LAWRENCEVILLE—Behind eight kills, no errors and a .421 attack percentage from junior Kaitlyn Griffin (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), the Rider University volleyball team swept Iona College 3-0 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match on Wednesday evening in Alumni Gymnasium.

“I thought that we did a fantastic job following the game plan,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “Kaitlyn is a great player who we lean on a lot and her volleyball I.Q. is sensational.  She capitalized on some great opportunities that she was given.”

“It was a solid team effort,” said Griffin who was voted a unanimous Preseason All-MAAC selection prior to the season.  “The front row was solid and kept Iona's middles guessing which created one on one opportunities.”

Rider (4-4, 1-0 MAAC) won the home opener 25-19, 25-17, 25-19 and finds itself in first place in the MAAC.

“This win gives us confidence,” Feliciano said.  “Not really because it is an important conference win but more so since we struggled in our last couple of matches last weekend.  We recovered well and that's what you want to see, especially when you have up to three freshmen on the floor at any one time.  It's still going to take some time to get used to each other and tonight helps that process.”

Also for the Broncs, sophomore setter Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) had 16 assists with fellow setter, senior Brandie Hill (Portland, Ore./Lincoln) adding 13 assists and two service aces.

“Our setters did a nice job creating one on one situations,” Feliciano said.  “But I really tip my cap to the serve receive tonight.  We passed really well and stayed in system a lot.”

Sophomore libero Emma Aldaya (Prospect Park, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) had 22 digs with junior outside hitter Ryan Ackermann (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) adding 10 digs.

Rider had six blocks, led by three each from senior Nicole Moorman (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area HS) and freshman Hailey Riede (Haworth/Northern Valley-Demarest) with Riede adding nine kills.

Riede and Griffin each had 11 of Rider's 49 points.

The match had 16 ties and seven lead changes, with 10 of the ties and five of the lead changes occurring in the opening set.

This is the seventh time in 33 matches that Rider has defeated Iona.  The teams split two five set decisions in 2014 with each winning on its home court.  At Iona, Rider led two sets to none before losing 3-2.

“There was a chip on our shoulder from last season,” Griffin said.  “Not something we dwelled on but we just came out with energy and that really kept us going tonight.”

Rider travels to the Maddie Bingaman Memorial Tournament at Maryland Baltimore County September 11-12, facing Morgan State, Fordham and Coppin State.

More than 300 fans attended the match, helping Rider maintain a home court advantage that saw the Broncs win nine of 12 matches in the Broncs' Zoo last season.

“The team (and I) would like to thank all the fans and student-athletes who came out tonight,” Feliciano said.  “There was a ton of support.”

Rider returns home on September 26 against Marist College at 1pm.

-RU-