LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University women's basketball team closed out the 2021-22 home campaign in style Saturday afternoon, topping Saint Peter's, 57-50, on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The Broncs improved to 9-18 on the year, and 7-11 in MAAC play, while the Peacocks fall to 12-15 overall, and 9-9 in conference games.
 
Saint Peter's took control early. Trailing 4-2, the Peacocks went on a 12-0 run. The Broncs stopped the bleeding with a three by Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg[Univ. at Buffalo]) and trailed 15-9 at the end of the quarter.
 
Another Schiffer three to open the second cut the lead to 15-12, but the Peacocks responded with a 6-0 run to push the lead back to nine. Down 25-17, Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway) scored seven-straight points to send the Broncs into the locker room down just 25-24.
 
Rider carried the momentum into the second half, starting with a 9-0 run to extend the overall rally to 16-straight points. Rider maintained the lead through the quarter, leading 37-35 entering the fourth.
 
Up 43-39, Anna Ekerstedt (Varberg, Sweeden/Marks Gymnasieskola) made a layup, followed by a three from Schiffer that essentially iced the game. The Peacocks closed to within three, but Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) was 4-for-4 from the line to secure the win.
 
Quotes & Notes
 
"Great win on our home floor. It's nice to get a home win in front of some amazing fans on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The kids fed of the energy, there's no doubt about that."
 
"The tips and steals and deflections we were getting today, we were looking down floor. We finished, Nay did a really great job finishing, and her teammates did a great job finding her."
 
"Anna had five, Mick had two, Vic had two, and Em came in and had one. It allows our perimeter defenders to do what they do, knowing there is help behind them."  – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We played really good defense on [Kendrea Williams] which helped us a lot."
 
"Transition points are a big part of our offense. That's what gets the other team down, so when we get a rebound, we look up right away." – Sophomore guard Makayla Firebaugh
 
"Our energy was great. We got in our flow and kept rolling."
 
"It frees us up to put more pressure on their guards, because we know they're there. Just looking today each one of them had tips and blocks." – Junior guard Jessika Schiffer
 
- Rider snaps a three-game losing streak to the Peacocks, closing the gap in the all-time series to 48-26.
- The Broncs had a season-high 11 blocks as a team.
- Kendrea Williams, the MAAC's fourth-leading scorer, was held to just four points on 1-for-11 shooting.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 40.4% (21-52) from the field, and was 33.3% (6-18) from three. Saint Peter's was 26.9% (18-67) from the field, and just 13.0% (3-23) from deep.
- The Broncs had 11 assists on their 21 made baskets, led by four from Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh).
- Evans led four Broncs in double figures with her 16 points, her 20^th double-digit effort of the season. Schiffer had 15, and Firebaugh finished with 11.
- Ekerstedt had five blocks in the contest to lead the Broncs.
- The Peacocks out-rebounded Rider 55-27, including a 25-3 edge on the offensive glass.
- Rider held a 12-6 advantage in fast break points.
 
Up Next
- Rider takes to the road to begin the final road trip of the season, taking on Fairfield Thursday beginning at 5 p.m.