BETHLEHEM, PA – The Rider University volleyball team completed day one of competition at the Steel City Classic Friday. The Broncs fell in straight sets to the University at Buffalo before bouncing back to defeat Cleveland State University in four sets. The Broncs' win over Cleveland State is the first for the team this season as Rider moves to 1-4. Buffalo closed out the day 3-2 and Cleveland State is an equal 1-4.
The Broncs struggled early against Buffalo. In the first set, leading 5-4, the Bulls scored 10-straight points and the Broncs were never able to recover, falling 25-18. Rider started the second set strong, with an ace by
Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) putting Rider on top 5-2. Trailing 6-3, Buffalo would respond with seven-unanswered points to go up 10-6. The Bulls continued to pull away for the remainder of the set, winning 25-17. Rider came out strong again to begin the third.
Morgan Romano (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty) had three kills and
Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) added a pair as Rider built a 9-6 lead. Once again Buffalo strung together a long rally. After tying the set 11-11, Buffalo scored six-straight, then pulled away to win the third 25-15 and complete the three-set sweep.
The Broncs bounced back against Cleveland State. In a back-and-forth first set, neither side won more than three-straight points. The Broncs came away with the tight victory 25-23. The second set played out much like the first. Leading 20-19, Rider scored five of the final six points in the set, including two kills from
Tori Schrader (Grantville, PA/Lower Dauphin) to win 25-20. The Vikings responded in the third, jumping out to a 7-1 lead. The Broncs would fire back. Trailing 11-5, Rider went on an 8-2 run including three kills by
Jenna Amaro (Davie, FL/Archbishop McCarthy) to go up 14-13. Tied 18-18, Cleveland State closed out the set on a 7-2 run to win the third, 25-20. The fourth set featured 11 ties. The final tie came at 18-18, when Rider rattled off seven-straight points, with three more kills off the arm of Amaro to close out the match.
QUOTES & NOTES
- Buffalo leads the all-time series over Rider 4-0. This was the first meeting between the programs since 1992.
- The Broncs evened the all-time series against Cleveland State at 2-2.
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Julia Slivka (Adamstown, MD/Tuscarora) had the Broncs first double-double of the season with 29 assists and 10 digs against Cleveland State.
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .059 in the match against Buffalo, trailing the Bulls' .393.
- Against Cleveland State, The Broncs out-hit the Vikings .143 to .130.
- Against Buffalo, Amaro led Rider with six kills. Romano added five and Schrader and McAleavey each had four.
- Romano led Rider with eight digs in the opening match. Slivka had six, and Amaro and Loh each had five.
- Slivka had 11 assists and
Sydney Bond (Homestead, FL/Westminster Christian) chipped in nine against the Bulls.
- Rider's offense was led by Amaro against Cleveland State, finishing with 13 kills. Romano finished with 11 kills. Schrader, McAleavey, and
Brynn Johnson (River Falls, WI/River Falls) each recorded nine kills.
- In addition to Slivka's 29 assists against the Vikings, Bond had 17.
- Loh had 16 digs against Cleveland State to lead Rider. Slivka had 10 and Amaro had nine.
UP NEXT
Rider takes on the host Mountain Hawks Saturday at 3 p.m.
