POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Just like when these teams first met this season, Rider won the opening set, dropped sets two and three, and fought back to win the fourth and send the match to a deciding fifth set. Unlike the first meeting, the Broncs could not come away victorious, falling 15-13 in the deciding set. The Broncs fall to 12-11 overall and 9-4 in the MAAC with the setback. The Red Foxes improve to 15-10 overall and 10-4 in conference play.
 
The Broncs took control of the first, midway through the opening set. Leading 12-10, Rider went on a 5-0 run with three blocks and a kill by Caprice Clarke (Toronto, Canada/Blythe Academy [Yorkville]) before continuing to extend the lead before taking the set 25-14.
 
In the second, Rider jumped out to an early lead. But trailing 11-6, Marist used a 7-2 run to tie the set at 13. Down 16-15, Marist took six-straight points to pull ahead. Rider immediately responded as Morgan Romano (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty) had three kills in a 5-0 run that tied the set at 21, but The Red Foxes took four of the final five points to even the match.
 
The third was much like the second. Tied 15-15, Marist won five-stright points on the serve of McKinley Fox. Despite Rider scoring three in a row to pull within two, the Broncs would get no closer.
 
The Broncs fought back and dominated the fourth. Down 11-8, Alicia Iafrate (Closter, NJ/Demarest) served for a 6-0 run capped by a pair of aces. After a point by Marist, Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) served six-straight points to put the set out reach before Romano served the sets final five points to cap the dominant play.
 
Rider controlled a majority of the fifth, opening the deciding set with a 3-0 run. Up 7-6, Romano served three consecutive points as the Broncs extended their advantage to four. Down 12-10, Marist made its move. The Red Foxes scored four straight on the serve of Jordan Newblatt, including the set's only lead change and the Red Foxes closed out the match.

QUOTES & NOTES
"Shame to come away from this match with a loss, especially after how well we played in certain phases. Credit to our block and defense, as our scheme was executed very well today."
 
"Congratulations to Caprice, who set a record today for blocks in a single match. She was great with her ability to slow down the other team's offense."
 
"Morgan was incredible too, she had all phases going for her today and played like an MVP. Nini was also lights out today and ran a really good offense. After all that, we came away with an L, which is a tough pill to swallow right now considering how we lost that match." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
- Marist extends their lead in the all-time series, which now stands at 30-21.
- Clarke set a program-record with 14 blocks.
- Romano had her 10^th double-double of the season, tying a season-high with 24 kills to go along with 11 digs.
 

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .284 in the match to the Red Foxes .171. Rider had 60 total kills, to 54 for Marist.
- Rider scored 11 more points than Marist in the match.
- Rider had 52 total digs to 60 for Marist.
- Romano's 24 kills led a pair of Broncs in double figures, Jillian Chan (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills) finished with 15, Clarke had nine, and Jenna Amaro (Davie, FL/Archbishop McCarthy) had eight.
- Nine Broncs recorded a dig in the match, led by 14 from Loh. Amaro had 12 and Romano added 11.
- In addition to Clarke's 14 blocks, Romano and Anilee Sher (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill) each had six and Chan added five.

UP NEXT
Rider plays away from Alumni Gym for the final time in the regular season at Siena on Sunday at 1 p.m.