NEW YORK, NY – The Rider University volleyball team was clutch Wednesday night, winning three close sets in a four-set non-conference victory over Columbia. With the win, the Broncs again move over .500 at 11-10. The Lions fall to 5-12 on the season.
 
It was a back and forth first set, with the Broncs consistently pulling ahead before the Lions fought back. Tied 13-13 Morgan Romano (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty) had a pair of kills and Tori Schrader (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin) added a kill as part of a 4-0 run. Columbia fought back and tied the set at 18-18, but the Broncs immediately answered with a 4-1 run that helped put the set away.
 
The second set was much like the first, with the Broncs in control, but never able to pull away. After falling behind 1-0, Rider never trailed until the Lions took a 21-20 lead, but never led by more than four itself. Down 22-20, the Broncs closed out the set on a 5-1 run, including a pair of kills and a block by Caprice Clarke (Toronto, Canada/Blyth Academy [Yorkville]).
 
The third set was all Columbia, as the Lions led, 4-0 and 12-4. The Broncs could not put together a rally of more than two-straight points as the Lions won, 25-14.
 
The Broncs rallied back in the fourth. Trailing 6-4, Rider went on a 7-1 run behind the serves of Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) and Sydney Bond (Homestead, FL/Westminster Christian School). Leading 19-17, Loh again served four-straight points as the Broncs put away the match.
 
QUOTES & NOTES
"We had a great team victory up at Columbia. We were able to see a lot of different players compete tonight which was great. A lot of people stepped up and played well after a less than stellar third set."
 
"Sydney and Julia set well, Jenna was aggressive, and Alicia played great too. Offensively and blockwise, I thought Ella, Nina, and Lindsey did well, and Jordan had some good swings. Kudos to the normal starters for getting us out to a 2-0 lead." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
- Rider leads the all-time series 6-3. Today's match was the first between the programs since 2003.
- Romano led the Broncs with 13 kills, her 17^th time leading the Broncs in kills this season.
- Alicia Iafrate (Closter, NJ/Demarest) had 12 digs, her second career-match with double-digit digs.
- Julia Slivka (Adamstown, MD/Tuscarora) set a career-high with eight assists.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .188 in the match to the Lions .210. Rider had 44 total kills, to 61 for Columbia.
- The Broncs had 11 blocks to seven for Columbia.
- Rider's 64 digs were out-paced the Lions' 69.
- Nine Broncs recorded a kill in the match led by Romano's 13. Along with Romano, Schrader and Jillian Chan (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) each had seven.
- 13 players recorded a dig in the match, led by 12 from Loh and Amaro. Slivka had eight.

UP NEXT
Rider travels to Saint Peter's for a conference match on Saturday at 7 p.m.