WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball team held a halftime lead Thursday night at Monmouth, but ultimately fell 63-53. The Broncs are now 5-13 on the season and 3-6 in MAAC play. The Hawks improve to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in conference games.
 
Rider jumped out to an early lead in the first. Leading 7-5, Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg [Buffalo]) and Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) hit back-to-back threes followed by a Firebaugh lay-up to extend the lead to 15-5. The Broncs maintained a 17-12 lead after one.
 
Monmouth opened the second on a 7-2 run, taking their first lead of the game at 21-19. Down 23-21, Rider scored ten straight, four points each from Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway) and Victoria Toomey (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) on their way to a 31-26 halftime lead.
 
The Hawks outscored the Broncs 9-2 coming out of the half, taking a lead they would not give up. Anna Ekerstedt (Varberg, Sweden/Marks Gymnasieskola [Broward College]) hit a corner three to close out the quarter, trimming the lead to 44-41.
 
The Broncs struggled to score in the fourth as Monmouth built the lead to double digits before hanging on for the final margin.
 
Quotes & Notes
 
"I thought we did some good things, both offensively and defensively tonight, but we just didn't sustain it. It really came down to them making some big plays."
 
"It's a game of details, and I think we had each had our breakdown individually, and if each person breaks down one time, that's ten points and that was the difference today." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We started strong and then lost our flow again, which has happened the last couple games. We just have to work on that." – Junior guard Jessika Schiffer
 
"No matter if I'm starting or coming off the bench, I just want to help the team win. Whatever role I'm in, I just need to go out there and do my job." – Junior forward Victoria Toomey
 
- Monmouth snaps a seven-game Rider winning streak in the all-time series, and extends the all-time series advantage to 30-23.
- Firebaugh finished one off a career high, with a team-high eight rebounds.
- Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) played for the first time in nine games after suffering a lower body injury.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 40.7% (22-54) from the field, and was 35.7% (5-14) from three. Monmouth was 42.9% (24-56) from the field, and 30.0% (6-20) from deep.
- The Broncs had nine assists on their 22 made baskets, led by two each from Mobley, Firebaugh, and Schiffer.
- Schiffer was the lone Bronc in double figures with 11.
- Monmouth out-rebounded Rider 44-42. Both side grabbed 13 on the offensive glass.
 
Up Next
- Rider is back in action Saturday, when it hosts Iona at 5 p.m. in Alumni Gym.