LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball team opened Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play with a 56-51 setback against Manhattan on Friday evening inside Alumni Gymnasium.
 
The Jaspers (1-1, 1-0 MAAC) held off a fourth-quarter rally from the Broncs (0-5, 0-1 MAAC) to escape with the victory.
 
After taking a four-point advantage into halftime, MAAC preseason favorite Manhattan hit 46 percent of its shots from the field and forced six Bronc turnovers in the third to build a double-digit lead.
 
The fourth quarter was a different story.
 
Rider battled back and cut the deficit to just one at 52-51 with 1:21 left in regulation following a bucket from sophomore Victoria Toomey (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore). The layup capped an 11-0 run for the Broncs that started with a Daija Moses (Toronto, Ontario/Henry Street) three-pointer midway through the frame.
 
In the last minute of play, the Jaspers played stout defense and hit their free throws to hold on.
 
Freshman Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) paced the Rider attack once again with a career-best 17 points. Junior point guard Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) was the other Bronc in double figures with 10 points.

QUOTES & NOTES
"It's a disappointing loss tonight. We had some self-inflicted wounds with the 22 turnovers and our free-throw shooting. That's not who we are. We are an excellent free-throw shooting team and we did not show that tonight. We needed some more shots at the basket and we needed to make some free throws." - Rider Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"On the other side of it, I liked our fight and tenacity. A lot of people probably counted us out of that game a couple times, but we had a chance to tie it there at the end. In typical Rider fashion it isn't over until that final horn blows." – Milligan

- Manhattan leads the all-time series, 31-20.
- The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Broncs versus the Jaspers.
- Rider had won its last two MAAC openers.
- The Broncs outscored Manhattan, 21-11, over the final 10 minutes.
- Rider held Manhattan to just one made field goal and 11 percent (1-of-9) shooting in the fourth quarter.
- The Broncs had a season-high 12 steals. It was the most thefts for Rider since the team had 12 last February at Siena.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Firebaugh scored in double figures for the second game in a row. She hit 6-of-12 shots from the field and added four rebounds.
- Mobley had 10 points, three rebounds and two assists for the Broncs.
- Daija Moses had eight points and tied a career-high with four steals. All eight of her points came in the second half.
- Victoria Toomey had another solid night for the Broncs as she had seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
- Lenaejha Evans added six points off the bench for Rider.
 
UP NEXT
The Broncs and Jaspers close out their regular-season series on Saturday, December 12. Opening tip is slated for 7:00 pm inside Alumni Gymnasium.