Saturday, October 5, 2024 / Sunday, October 6, 2024
Rider Broncs (3-12, 2-1 MAAC) vs. Canisius Golden Griffins (6-8, 2-1 MAAC) / Niagara Purple Eagles (7-7, 3-0 MAAC)
Location: Alumni Gym
Time: 1 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+ (Saturday/Sunday)
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
 
What You Need To Know
- Both matches this weekend will be available on ESPN+.
- The Broncs were selected fourth by the league's coaches in the MAAC Preseason Poll. Rider finished fifth in the regular season in 2022 before reaching the MAAC Tournament semifinals with a win over Niagara. The Broncs ultimately fell in the semifinals to eventual MAAC Champions Fairfield.
- The Broncs are 2-1 in conference play, following up a setback against Quinnipiac with wins over Merrimack and Saint Peter's.
- Rider returns six starters from a season ago led by Second-Team All-MAAC honoree Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)). She is joined on the outside by MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston). Also returning are the middle hitter duo of Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) and MAAC All-Rookie honoree Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville). Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong) returns as the Broncs starting setter with Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) reprising her role as starting libero.
- Key reserves returning for the Broncs include Makenna Mason, who split setting duties last season in the Broncs 5-2 lineup, outside hitters Brynn Johnson (River Falls, WI/River Falls) and Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson), middle hitter Mia Mattingly (Mokena, IL/Lincoln-Way Central), and defensive specialists Simone Langford (Hollywood, FL/Falagan) and Carly Zimmet (Purcellville, VA/Loudoun Valley).
- Santiago leads the Broncs this season with 140 kills. Giehbrock is second on the team with 100 and Robinson trails close behind with 98.
- Mason and Frye currently have 218 and 200 assists, respectively.
- Langford leads Rider with 113 digs with O'Connor topping the Broncs at 3.62 digs per set.
- Rohde leads the Broncs with 41 blocks including 13 in the MAAC opener against Quinnipiac.
- Canisius leads the all-time series over the Broncs 33-16, but the teams did split a pair of five-set matches last season. The Golden Griffins swept Siena and Marist on the opening weekend of MAAC play before falling to Niagara during midweek play.
- Niagara holds a 25-20 edge in the all-time series. The Purple Eagles topped Marist, Siena, and Canisius to begin league play 3-0.
- The Canisius offense is led by Kara Zaucha, who leads the Golden Griffins at 160 total kills and 3.08 kills per set. Niagara is paced by Liana Tolliver, who is the lone Purple Eagle with triple digit kills, at 106 on the season.