PHOENIX, AZ – In a rematch of a four-set match from last Saturday, the Rider University volleyball team fell in three sets on Friday against Villanova to open play at the Grand Canyon University Tournament. The Wildcats won all three sets by identical 25-19 scores to improve to 3-1 on the season, while the Broncs fell to 0-4.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in the first set, going up 7-1 and taking a lead they would not give up. Trailing 15-9, The Broncs got back-to-back kills from Morgan Romano (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty) and Jillian Chan (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) along with a Villanova error to cut the gap to three, but a 4-0 Villanova run late in the set secured the victory.
 
The Wildcats jumped out again early in the second, using a 5-1 run to take a 7-3 lead. Trailing 21-11, Rider scored four straight points including kills by Tori Schrader (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin) and Chan, as well as a solo block from Morgan Koch (Bloomington, IL/Central Catholic), but would not be able to close the gap. 
 
The Broncs took control of the third set early with a 5-0 run, using a pair of kills by Schrader, a kill from Christina Blount (Liberty Township, OH/Lakota East), and an ace from Romano to lead 8-4. With the Broncs leading 16-12, Villanova scored nine of the next ten points to pull ahead, 22-17, and put away the match.


QUOTES & NOTES
"There were moments of very good play, but the consistency just wasn't there tonight. Every time we would tie it or have a lead, we just did not play clean volleyball. Credit to Villanova for playing a very clean match."

"We did see some opportunities for players, and Kerrigan Casper and Nina Blount were able to make some contributions tonight." - Head Coach Jeff Rotondo

- Villanova has captured all seven meetings in the all-time series, including both this season.
- Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) had 16 digs, her third double-digit dig effort of the season.
- Romano and Chan had 11 and 10 kills respectively. This is the second time this season the Broncs have had multiple players with double-digit kills. The pair also achieved the feat last time out against the Wildcats.


BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs were out-hit in the match .306 to .171. The Wildcats had 42 total kills to 35 for Rider.
- Chan hit .381 in the match to lead Broncs with at least three kills.
- Anilee Sher (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill) had 30 assists in the match.
- Nine players recorded a dig in the match, led by Loh. Romano finished with eight, Molly Strah (Akron, OH/Archbishop Hoban) had seven, and Sher had six.

UP NEXT
Rider remains in Phoenix to complete in the Grand Canyon University Tournament, where the Broncs will play tomorrow against Western Carolina at 1 p.m. and the host Lopes at 10 p.m.