LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball team closed out a home weekend of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action with a 66-45 setback to Fairfield on Sunday afternoon inside Alumni Gymnasium.
 
The Stags (5-1, 4-0 MAAC) secured the regular-season series sweep with the victory over the Broncs (1-10, 0-6 MAAC).
 
Back-and-forth the two teams went during the opening 10 minutes as Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) scored in transition for Rider to close out the scoring in the first quarter. Toussaint's bucket off a feed from junior point guard Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) pulled the Broncs to within one at 12-11 heading into the second frame.
 
Fairfield shot 70 percent from the field (7-of-10) in the second quarter to take a double-digit lead at 29-18 into halftime.
 
The third quarter saw an increase in both intensity and pace. The two squads combined for 36 points and hit seven three-pointers in the third. The Stags bested the Broncs, 19-17, in the frame to take a 13-point lead in the fourth.
 
Fairfield opened the fourth on an 8-0 run thanks to knocking down its first three shots to build a lead it would not surrender.
 
Freshman Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) paced the Rider attack with a team-high 12 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists.

QUOTES & NOTES
"It was a disappointing end to the weekend. We had a great film session and a great adjustment session. The ball just did not drop for us today. I thought we moved the ball well today. I think we got some great looks and we also passed up some good looks. Obviously we are going to have shoot the ball better from three in order to stay in it with a team like Fairfield." – Rider Head Coach Lynn Milligan

- Fairfield leads the all-time series with Rider, 41-13.  
- Rider is 0-6 to start MAAC play for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign.
- Rider won the battle of the boards, 33-29. The Broncs have outrebounded their opponents in back-to-back games and three of their last four contests.
- Rider did a good job on the defensive glass, surrendering just two Fairfield offensive rebounds. It was the fewest offensive rebounds an opponent has pulled down against Rider all season.
- The Broncs had 10 or more assists for the second game in a row.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Firebaugh scored in double figures for the fourth game in a row and the sixth time this season. She knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the game.
- Daija Moses finished with eight points and eight rebounds. She was 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
- Victoria Toomey had eight points, five rebounds and three assists. She was 4-of-5 shooting from the floor.
- Toussaint had six points and four boards off the bench for the Broncs.
 
UP NEXT
Rider returns to action next weekend, January 8 and 9, with a pair of home MAAC games against Niagara.