LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball team fell behind early and was unable to find a comeback, falling in its home opener, 74-62, to Saint Francis Brooklyn Saturday afternoon. The Broncs fall to 0-3 on the season, while the Terriers grab their first win of the year moving to 1-3.
 
The Broncs again started slow, giving up a 12-0 run after scoring the game's opening bucket. Rider did not score in the final four minutes of the first, trailing 18-6 after one.
 
Rider fought back early in the second. Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) hit a pair of triples and added another basket as the Broncs closed the gap to eight. But a buzzer-beater three by Esther Varga put the Terriers up 36-22 at the half.
 
The Broncs have dominated the third quarter this season, and a quick three by Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) appeared briefly as though it would spur another Rider rally, but the Terriers responded to every Rider bucket, while extending the lead to as large as 20.
 
A baseline jumper by Anna Ekerstedt (Varberg, Sweden/Marks Gymnasieskola) to end the third, followed by a 7-0 run, five points by Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway), to begin the fourth got Rider to within 10. A three-pointer by Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg [Buffalo]) got the Broncs within single-digits with 6:38 to play. The Terriers then put the game away with a 14-4 run.
 
Quotes & Notes
"I'm disappointed in the loss. The bottom line is I didn't have my team ready and I'm going to work to correct that."
 
"[Falling behind] has been a pattern, but we're going to fix it." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We get within ourselves, rather than reaching out to our teammates for help. We need to learn to look to others for help and keep our heads up." – Sophomore Guard Makayla Firebaugh
 
"We have to come out with energy. Just coming out of the locker room and being ready to play as soon as the ball goes up." – Junior Forward Victoria Toomey
 
- Rider now leads the all-time series 23-6, the Terriers victory snaps a two-game Rider winning streak between the programs.
- Evans scored 13 points off the bench, her third-straight double-digit scoring game. She also led all players with a career-high eight rebounds.
- Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) overcame early foul trouble to finish with 10 points and six rebounds.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 42.3% (22-52) from the field, but just 23.8%% (5-21) from three. The Terriers shot 48.1% (26-54) from the field and 45.0% (9-20) from deep.
- The Broncs had 15 assists on their 22 made baskets, led by five from Mobley.
- Rider out-rebounded St. Francis Brooklyn 29-28, including a 12-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
- The Terriers scored 25 points off of turnovers and held a 13-4 lead in fast break points.
 
Up Next
- Rider travels to Lehigh for the Christmas City Tournament, where it will face the host Mountain Hawks on Saturday with the other half of the bracket featuring Columbia and Missouri.