LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ– The Rider University volleyball team looked dominant Saturday afternoon defeating Niagara in three sets, 25-20, 25-16, 25-22. Both teams now have identical 5-10 overall records and 4-3 marks in MAAC play.
 
The first set featured ten ties as both sides struggled to find any momentum. Tied 15-15, Brynn Johnson (River Falls, WI/River Falls) had back-to-back kills during a 3-0 run, and Rider never trailed again in the set, scoring four of the set's final five points to take the early lead.
 
In set two, the Broncs set the tone early, opening the set on a 5-0 run during the serve of Molly Strah (Akron, OH/Archbishop Hoban). Rider would extend the lead to 17-9, when Niagara used a 4-0 rally to put pressure back on the Broncs. Leading 20-16, Rider closed out the set with a 5-0 run, led by two blocks and a kill from Gabby Polynice (Huntington Beach, CA/Grant[Delaware State]).
 
Rider appeared ready to roll to a win, jumping out to a 7-3 lead in set three. Trailing 13-10, Niagara went on a 5-1 run to take their first lead in the set since 1-0. Tied 17-17, Niagara scored three-straight points. Rider immediately responded, scoring four-straight points on Strah's serve. Tied 22-22, Rider closed out the match with a 3-0 run capped by a kill from Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston).

QUOTES & NOTES
"We talked in the locker room between sets two and three, they have a good offense, and a good defense and they make you earn every point. I was glad to see us recover from that late lead they got in the third set. We got out of sorts and went a bit rogue for two or three points, so we took a time out, dialed back in, and did what we are supposed to do."
 
"We were really aggressive. We want to try to stay aggressive. We don't want to take our foot off the gas. We know our offense can be good as long as we're passing. We want to maintain that aggression without getting reckless." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
"Mentally, I go in every time knowing I'm meant to be here. My team supports me, and the atmosphere of the team is just so helpful in that sense."
 
"In the third set, we had more of a sense of urgency. The more we're playing together, the more we're growing as a team and a family." – Freshman Outside Hitter Paige Giehtbrock
 
- Rider cuts into Niagara's lead in the all-time series which now stands at 25-18.
- For the fifth time this season, Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) and Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong[UTEP]) reached double digit assists in the same match with 26 and 17 respectively.
- Giehtbrock had 11 kills, her third match in double figures this year.
- Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic(NJ)) finished with 11 kills, her eighth match this season in double figures.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) led all players in the match with 16 digs, her 10^th match this season in double digits.
- Strah finished with 11 digs, her fourth time in double figures this year.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .386 in the match, while the Purple Eagles hit .229.
- Rider had 48 kills in the match to 45 for Niagara.
- Rider had a 46-37 edge in digs.
- The Broncs had a 7-4 advantage in blocks.
- In addition to Santiago and Giehtbrock, Polynice finished with nine kills on .615 hitting.
- In addition to O'Connor and Strah, Giehtbrock had five digs.
- Polynice and Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) each had three blocks.

UP NEXT
The Broncs wrap up the home stand with a match against Canisius at 1 p.m.