LOUDONVILLE, NY – The Rider University volleyball team extended their winning streak to seven matches Saturday afternoon, defeating Quinnipiac in straight sets to advance to a second-straight MAAC Championship match. The Broncs will enter the MAAC Championship at 19-11, while the Bobcats see their season come to an end at 11-18.
In the opening set with Rider leading 6-4, Quinnipiac went on a 5-0 run to take control of the set early. In what would become a theme of the day, the Broncs fought back. Trailing 17-14, Rider went on a 4-1 run with three kills by
Morgan Romano (Oviedo, Fl/Hagerty) to tie the score 18-18. Tied 21-21,
Jenna Amaro (Davie, FL/Archbishop McCarthy) served three straight points, setting the Broncs up to win the set on serve receive.
The second set was back and forth early, with six ties leading to a 6-6 score. Quinnipiac went on a 10-4 run to take their largest lead of the match at 16-10. Romano immediately answered with four-straight points on her serve, capped by an ace. Down 24-23, Rider staved off a set point and used a 4-1 run to go up 2-0.
Rider appeared to be in position to run away with the third early, jumping out to a 6-3 lead. The Bobcats refused to go away quickly tying the match at 8-8, before grabbing their first lead of the set at 15-14. Down 18-16,
Molly Strah (Akron, OH/Archbishop Hoban) served for a 5-0 Rider run, three kills by Romano, including the final lead change of the match.
Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) served the final four points, including an ace to send the Broncs back to the championship match.
QUOTES & NOTES
"Really proud of the team tonight. We talked earlier about having a valiant effort, and I think we did that tonight. Quinnipiac played great. We got lucky in set two when they had 21 kills and we still won. We'll need to be better in our block and defensive game tomorrow for sure."
"Morgan keeps showing why she's so lethal, and we got some great contributions from Caprice and Tori tonight too. We have some gritty kids fighting right now and it's great to see."
– Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
- Rider now leads the all-time series over Quinnipiac 13-10, and the Broncs have won seven of the last eight.
- Romano has recorded 26 kills in four-straight matches, tying her season high.
- With her 1,177 assists this season,
Anilee Sher (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill) breaks the program's single-season assist record. The senior already became the program's career assist leader earlier this season.
- Rider advances to the MAAC Championship Match for the second straight season. The Broncs are 1-0 all-time in championship matches.
- Rider's 19 wins this season are tied for the fifth-most in program history.
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .302 in the match to the Bobcats .219. Rider had 48 total kills, to 44 for Quinnipiac.
- Rider and Quinnipiac each finished with 47 digs.
- The Broncs finished with eight total blocks, while the Bobcats had seven.
- Romano's 26 kills led the Broncs. She was joined in double-figures by
Tori Schrader (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin), who finished with 10.
Caprice Clarke (Toronto, Canada/ Blythe Academy [Yorkville]) had seven.
- Sher ran the offense effectively, dishing out 42 assists.
- Eight Broncs recorded a dig in the match, led by Loh's 12. Amaro also finished in double-figures with 10 and Strah added nine.
- Clarke had five blocks to lead the Broncs at the net.
UP NEXT
Rider will take on top-seeded Fairfield in the MAAC Championship match on Sunday at 4 p.m.
