College Volleyball
Rider University 3, Siena College 2
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Match

LAWRENCEVILLE—It's not easy being green.

And for the Rider University volleyball team, it's not easy beating green either, especially over the last 11 seasons.  In a battle for first place between the last two unbeaten teams in conference play, Rider defeated the green-clad Saints from Siena College 3-2 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match notching the first win over Siena since the 2004 season.

“We're obviously happy,” said head coach Christopher Feliciano.  “We haven't defeated Siena in a very, very long time and I can't say enough about the team today and I'm not just talking about the players on the floor.  From the bench to the role players to the starters and to the fans, everyone contributed.”

Rider won the match, which featured 20 ties and eight lead changes, 25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 13-25, 15-13.

“This was an exciting match,” Feliciano said.  “Being up 2-1, a little of a heart attack match but it was exciting.”

Rider (9-9, 4-0 MAAC) was led by freshman Hailey Riede (Haworth/Northern Valley-Demarest) who attacked .412 and had 15 kills, six blocks and four digs while making only one error in 34 total attacks.

“Hailey is a special player,” Feliciano said.  “She is growing into her own and every day she works harder and gets better.  She is fun to be around and is really coachable.  She came out on fire after the 10 minute intermission and set the tone for the third set.”

“Going into the weekend, we just wanted to play our match and not have to adjust to how the other team was playing,” said Riede who was the MAAC Rookie of the Week for all matches September 8-14.  “We had positive energy which kept us going.”

Also for the Broncs, junior Ryan Ackermann (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) had 27 digs and 11 kills, four of the kills coming in the final set.

“Ryan is a bulldog,” Feliciano said.  “She is loyal to the team and to her family and is passionate about winning.  She was phenomenal.  We expect this effort every match and we think that Ryan has an untapped extra gear that we are just starting to see.”

“For the upperclassmen and the seniors especially, this weekend (defeating Marist and Siena) means a lot,” Ackermann said.  “We really wanted this and it also gives us hope of the things that we can really accomplish.”

Sophomore Emma Aldaya (Prospect Park, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) had 23 digs and both setters, sophomore Veronica Koval (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) (24 assists, 10 digs) and senior Brandie Hill (Portland, Ore./Lincoln) (16 assists, 12 digs) had 'double-doubles'.

Senior Nicole Moorman (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area HS) had seven blocks for Rider.

Trailing 13-11 in the fifth and final set, Rider ended the match on a 4-0 run with kills from Riede, Hill, Ackermann and sophomore Jennifer Borio (Ridley Park, Pa./Padua Academy).  Borio finished with seven kills and five digs. 

“Hill getting the touch and Aldaya pulling it out of the net to tie the score at 13-13 was huge,” Feliciano said.  “That was the turning point in the 4-0 run.  You can't say enough about effort.  To break the losing streak and do it against the defending conference champions is great.”

Out of 197 attacks in the two hour and 18 minute match, Rider only made 17 errors, compared to 32 errors in 217 attacks for Siena (6-7, 3-1 MAAC).

“We knew going in that Siena doesn't make a lot of mistakes,” Feliciano said.  “There is a reason that they are eight-time conference champions.  Coach Garvey Pierre has done wonders with his squad and they execute to a 't'.  Any mistake we made, we followed with two great hustle plays.”

This is only the fourth time in 30 matches that Rider has defeated Siena with the last win coming on November 13, 2004 in Loudonville, a span of 20 matches.  This is the first time ever that Siena has lost in Lawrenceville.

Almost 300 fans turned Alumni Gymnasium into the Broncs' Zoo as Rider University celebrated an open house.  Rider is now 3-0 at home and the Broncs have won 12 of their last 15 matches in Alumni Gym.

Rider travels to Quinnipiac University October 3 before staying in Connecticut for a match against Fairfield University October 4.

“We will continue to take things one match at a time,” Feliciano said.  “That's the culture.  That's who we are and that's what we want to be.”

This is the second season in a row that Rider has begun conference play 4-0.  In 2014, the Broncs opened 5-0 in the MAAC with wins over Saint Peter's, Niagara, Canisius, Manhattan and Iona.

Rider and Siena meet again on October 24 in Loudonville, New York.

The Broncs return home October 17 for a MAAC match against Niagara at 1pm.

-RU-