LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Morgan Romano (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty) had 41 kills on the day and Anilee Sher (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill) added 93 assists as the Rider University volleyball team split with Canisius Friday at Alumni Gymnasium. Canisius edged the Broncs, 3-2, in the first match, before Rider stormed back with a 3-0 sweep in the second match. With the split, Rider moves to 2-4, while the Golden Griffins are now 4-2.

The Broncs took the first set of the first match convincingly, 25-12, before Canisius won the second and third, 25-23 and 25-20, respectively. Rider knotted the match with a 25-11 win in the fourth set and had four-straight match points, up 14-10 in the fifth, before the Golden Griffins rattled off six-straight points to snatch the win away. Romano had 20 kills and 17 digs in the match, while Danielle Blanco (El Paso, TX/Franklin) had 27 digs, Ali Ward (West Chester, PA/West Chester East) added 18 kills and Sher dished out 51 assists.

Rider won three tight sets in the second match, 25-23, 25-18 and 25-22. Romano finished with 21 kills and 15 digs, hitting .348 in the match. Sher also added a double-double with 42 assists and 13 digs, while Ward also had 10 kills. Blanco had a team-high 18 digs in the match.

NOTES
- Canisius owns a 30-12 edge in the series since Rider joined the MAAC in 1997. The Broncs and Griffs have split in each of the last two years.
- MAAC programs are playing five doubleheaders each in the regular season before heading to Albany, NY, for MAAC Championships, April 1-3.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Romano finished with 41 kills and 32 digs on the day, good for 5.12 kills and 4.00 digs per set. She hit .262.
- Sher had 93 assists (11.63 aps.) and 22 digs.
- Ward contributed 28 kills.
- Blanco had a team-high 45 digs, good for 5.62 digs per set.
- Caprice Clarke (Toronto, Ontario/Blyth Academy (Yorkville)) contributed a team-high six blocks, while Ward had five, including two solo.

UP NEXT
Rider returns to action Sunday, when it travels to Manhattan. The matches are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. (tentative – 2 ½ hours between the end of the first match and the beginning of the second, by MAAC rule).