RIVERDALE, NY – The Rider University volleyball team won their sixth-straight match Wednesday night, defeating Manhattan in straight sets. The Broncs evened their record on the season to 8-8, including a 6-1 mark in conference matches. The Jaspers now sit at 1-9 and are 1-5 in the conference.
 
The opening set started off as a back and forth affair with neither side taking control. Down 16-14, Morgan Romano (Oviedo, Fl/Hagerty) served six-straight points, capped by a service ace to give the Broncs a lead they would not give up.
 
Rider took control in the second set. Leading 17-11, Romano served seven straight for the Broncs, including a pair of aces, to put the set away.
 
Down 15-11 in the third, the Broncs used a 7-2 run to take their first lead of the set. Tied 21-21 it was again Romano on the serve and the junior served three straight as the Broncs closed out the match.

QUOTES & NOTES
"Credit to Manhattan tonight, who always plays us tough and frustrates us. Draddy Gym is an interesting place to play; it's hot, the ball moves weird off the serve due to the air, and we found a way to perform just good enough in that environment to come away with the victory. If we are going to be in the position we want to be at the end of the season, we'll need to perform better mentally when conditions aren't ideal."

"I thought some of our young players came in and performed well. Ella got a lot of control blocks, Nina was active on the offensive end, and our defenders, Pam, Alicia, Molly, and Emma had some good moments too." - Head Coach Jeff Rotondo 

- Manhattan now leads the all-time series 30-18, but Rider has won four straight.
- Romano had her sixth double-double of the season, with 17 kills and 13 digs, both team highs.
- Anilee Sher (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill) had 41 assists, a season-high for a three-set match.
- Christina Blount (Liberty Township, OH/Lakota East) had four kills and hit .333 in two sets off the bench, one off a career-high.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .286 in the match to the Jaspers .132. Rider had 45 total kills, to just 29 for Manhattan.
- Rider has out-hit all six of its opponents during the winning streak.
- Rider had 50 total digs to 44 for Manhattan.
- Romano's 17 kills led a pair of Broncs in double figures, as she was joined by Tori Schrader (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin), who finished with 13.
- 10 Broncs recorded a dig in the match, led by Romano's 17. Molly Strah (Akron, OH/Archbishop Hoban) had 7 after taking over as the team's libero for the final set. Starting libero Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson), Sher, and Emma Notarfrancesco (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg Area Senior) each had six in the match.
- Romano had four aces in the match and Sher recorded a pair as well.

UP NEXT
Rider returns home for a match against Quinnipiac on Saturday. First serve is at 1 p.m.