BALTIMORE, MD – The Rider University volleyball team got its first win of the season Saturday night, defeating host Morgan State at the Towson/Morgan State Tournament. The Broncs won the match 25-22, 25-21, 25-13 to improve to 1-3 on the season, while the Bears fall to 2-5.
 
After falling behind 17-10, Rider won nine-straight points on the serve of Simone Langford (Hollywood, FL/Flanagan) to take a lead in the set that the Broncs never relinquished.
 
The Broncs fell behind again early in set two, 8-3. Trailing 13-12, Carly Zimmet (Purcellville, VA/Loudoun Valley) served five-straight points, including two aces, to take the lead. Morgan State would respond with a 5-0 run to take control of the set back, but Rider would have multiple 3-0 runs down the stretch to secure the second-set win.
 
Rider jumped out to a 4-0 lead on the serve of Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston). Up 11-8, Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) served seven-straight points as the Broncs pulled away and cruised to the straight-set victory.
 

QUOTES & NOTES
"Was happy to see the turn-around from the performance yesterday. We had a lot of contributions across the board, and finally found a little groove as a team. We had a really strong discussion as a team this morning, and we hoped it lightened them up to play more freely on the court."
 
"Our serve/pass was much better today, and our ability to neutralize the other team's offense was better. Still concerned about our attack errors so that's an area we need to get cleaned up." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
- Rider now leads the all-time series 7-1 over the Bears.
- Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong) finished with 21 assists.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) led the Broncs with 13 digs, her third double-digit dig match of the season.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .152 in the match, to Morgan State's .010.
- Rider had 35 kills to just 23 for the Bears.
- Rider held a 9-3 edge in aces.
- In addition to O'Connor's 13, Mason had seven digs. Giehtbrock and Zimmet added five each.
- Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) led Rider with seven kills. Jenna Amaro (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Archbishop McCarthy) finished with six, and Molly Rhode (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) added five.

UP NEXT
Rider continues the Towson/Morgan State Tournament with a match at Towson against the host Tigers Sunday at 1 p.m.