LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball team found out why Fairfield has yet to lose a MAAC game this season, falling 62-44 to the Stags in Alumni Gym Saturday night. The Broncs fall to 3-10 on the season and 1-3 in conference games, while Fairfield improves to 7-5 overall and 4-0 in MAAC play.
  
Trailing 8-4 midway through the opening quarter, Rider scored seven-straight points on a three-pointer by Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood), a layup by Victoria Toomey (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore), and a pair of free throws by Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway) to take a three-point lead. The Broncs played strong defense and maintained an 11-10 advantage after the opening ten minutes.
 
The entire second quarter went back-and- forth, featuring seven lead changes and a pair of ties. Four straight-points by preseason MAAC Player of the Year Lou Lopez-Senchal to close out the quarter gave Fairfield a 25-23 lead at the half. She finished with 27 in the game.
 
With Rider holding a 28-27 advantage early in the third, Fairfield went on what would be the game's decisive run. The Stags outscored the Broncs 12-0 over a 3:31 stretch for the game's 14^th and final lead change. The run helped the Stags take a 45-34 lead into the final frame.
 
Fairfield would extend the lead as large as 18 before Rider made a final rally. Down 55-37, Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) hit a corner three, then Toomey and Toussaint made back-to-back layups to cut the lead to 11, but the Broncs would not score again.
 
Quotes & Notes
 
"I thought Fairfield played a really good game tonight. We did some good stuff, and some stuff we want to get better at. We just gotta get over this hump and get out of our own way."
 
"Our M.O. is to do what we need to do to be peaking in February and early March. I believe that we will be there, but we have some things we need to work on and get figured out."
 
"In March you have to be ready to beat anyone, and we have played well against the top three teams in the preseason poll." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We really focused on the fourth quarter in practice, and it was in our minds during the game. But we need to come out and execute on that. I see our team improving every day and you're going to see that soon."
 
"We had good shots, but some weren't falling and it was hard to move on from them." – Senior guard Lenaejha Evans
 
- Fairfield has taken three straight over the Broncs and extends its advantage in the all-time series to 42-13.
- Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg [Buffalo]) grabbed a career-high seven rebounds as the Broncs out-rebounded their opponent for the fourth time this season.
- Toussaint was the lone Broncs in double figures, her ninth time scoring double-digits this season.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 34.7% (17-49) from the field, and hit 37.5% (6-16) from three. Fairfield went 41.7% (25-60) from the field, and 33.3% (7-21) from deep.
- The Broncs had 13 assists on their 17 made baskets, led by five from Schiffer.
- Rider out-rebounded Fairfield 36-30, and held a 9-8 edge in offensive boards.
 
Up Next
- Rider makes the annual trip to western New York, beginning with a game at Canisius on Thursday at 7 p.m.