PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Rider University women's basketball team fell behind by as many as 18 points Saturday afternoon, before fighting back to force overtime, but ultimately fell at La Salle 67-58. The Broncs fall to 0-2 after the setback, while the Explorers even their record at 1-1.
 
After the Broncs forced overtime, La Salle opened the extra session on a 15-2 run that took all drama out of the extra five minutes. Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway) made an and-one lay-up that would cut the lead to seven, but Rider got no closer.
 
La Salle came out strong, winning the opening tip and hitting a quick layup that sparked a 10-0 run that put the Broncs on the back foot early. Trailing 17-6, Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg [Buffalo]) scored four-straight points to cut the lead to just seven, but a buzzer-beating three by Molly Masciantonio put the Explorers up 10 after one.
 
The Explorers answered every time the Broncs tried to start a run in second, slowly extending the lead. A 5-0 run including a buzzer-beating layup put La Salle up 38-20 at the half.
 
The Broncs fought back in the third quarter. Evans scored seven points during a 16-0 run as part of an 18-4 quarter that pulled Rider to within four entering the final 10 minutes.
 
Rider quickly tied the game at 44-44 on a bucket by Evans followed by free-throws from Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) and Schiffer. Trailing 50-44 with 3:09 remaining, Rider held the Explorers scoreless the rest of the game, and a pair of Evans baskets bracketed a layup from Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) to send the game to the extra session.
 
Quotes & Notes
"I know we have enough fight to come back, but we need to see that fight earlier."
 
"Every game we've had this season, and you can throw the exhibition in there as well, [Lenaejha] comes in and does what she does and gives us that energy. She's worked really hard during the offseason and is now a true scoring threat."
 
"We've got a week before our next game to figure out what we can do to start the first half the way we play in the second half." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We battled to late. We pick up the energy that we needed, but it was too late."
 
"I had gone left before, and was able to get to the rim, so I just did it again and was able to get separation."  – Senior Guard Lenaejha Evans
 
- La Salle leads the all-time series 10-3, and snaps a three-game Rider winning streak between the programs.
- Evans scored a career-high 20 points, 18 in the second-half and overtime, topping her previous high of 14 set last season against Saint Peter's. She has scored in double figures in both games this season.
- Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) had a career-high 15 rebounds, five offensive, to pass her previous high of 12 from last season at Iona.
- Anna Ekerstedt (Varberg, Sweden/Marks Gymnasieskola [Broward College]) had a career-high four boards off the bench

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 35.7% (20-56) from the field, but just 13.3%% (2-15) from three. The Explorers shot just 30.0% (21-70) from the field and 28.1% (9-32) from deep, but went 3-for-4 from long range in the extra session.
- The Broncs had just five assists on their 20 made baskets, led by three from Mobley.
- Rider was out-rebounded by La Salle 45-39, including a 19-10 advantage on the offensive glass.
- The Rider defense caused 20 Explorer turnovers, and combined for 14 steals. Firebaugh had four steals and Mobley had three.
 
Up Next
- Rider returns to the friendly confines of Alumni Gym next Saturday, when the Broncs host Saint Francis Brooklyn at noon.