NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Rider University volleyball team struggled in its first road test of the MAAC season Saturday afternoon, falling in three sets at Iona. The Broncs fall to 3-9 overall and 1-1 in MAAC play. The Gaels improve to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in league play.
 
The first set featured 10 ties, including the last of the opening set at 24-24. The Gaels went on to take the final two points of the set, winning 26-24.
 
Set two began just like the first with neither side able to take control. Tied 12-12, the Broncs appeared to take control for the first time, scoring five-straight points, including three kills off the arm of Morgan Koch (Bloomington, IL/Central Catholic). But Iona would immediately respond with six-straight points to regain the lead, and another tight set would end on Iona taking back-to-back points to win by two.
 
Iona was dominant in the final set. Down 7-5, the Gaels took six-straight points. Then, holding a 12-9 lead, Iona went on an 8-1 run that put the set out of reach. The Geals would take the final set 25-13.
 
QUOTES & NOTES
- Iona extends its lead in the all-time series to 29-17. The win is just the second for the Gaels in their last 12 meetings.
- Kendall Hewitt (Celina, TX/Prosper) made her first career start for the Broncs.
- Morgan Romano (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty) set a career-high with 26 assists as the Broncs played with a mixed-up lineup.
- Jenna Amaro (Davie, FL/Archbishop McCarthy) led the Broncs with 10 kills, her third time this season in double figures. She completed the double-double with 11 digs.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) had 15 digs to lead the Broncs, her third double-digit dig match this season.
- Pamela Loh (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Hendrick Hudson) also finished with double-digit digs for Rider ending with 12, her seventh time in double figures this season.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .085 in the match, to Iona's .216.
- Rider had 33 kills to 41 for the Gaels.
- Rider finished with 60 digs, to just 54 for Iona.
- In addition to Amaro's 10, Kianny Santiago (Hoboken, NJ/Hudson Catholic) and Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) each had six.

UP NEXT
Rider continues MAAC play when it takes on Manhattan Sunday at 1 p.m.