LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ– The Rider University volleyball team saw its seven-match winning streak stopped Saturday afternoon, falling in five sets to Fairfield 17-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-15, 15-9. The Broncs drop to 14-16 on the season and 13-4 in MAAC play, while the Stags improve to 18-11 on the year, including a 16-1 mark in league matches.
 
Tied 11-11 in the first, Rider went on a 7-2 run, including a pair of kills by Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson). Leading 21-17, the Broncs closed out the set with four-straight points to take the set, led by a pair of combo blocks by Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)) and Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville).
 
Leading 12-10 in set two, Fairfield appeared to be pulling away with a 5-1 run, but later in the set with Fairfield ahead 19-15, Rider scored five-straight points, including an ace by Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong[UTEP]), to take the lead. Fairfield would have an immediate answer, scoring five-straight in response, taking the set moments later.
 
Late in the third, Rider would again pull away. Holding a 16-14 lead, Rider went on a 6-1 run, with a pair of aces by Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) and another ace from Frye as the Broncs pulled away to win the set.
 
Midway through the fourth, the Stags made their decisive run. Already up 9-7, Fairfield used an 8-1 run to pull away and force a set five.
 
The Broncs were in control early in the final set, building a 5-1 lead with four different Broncs recording a kill during the run. After the Broncs scored to make it 8-6 and the teams switched sides, the match flipped with Fairfield outscoring Rider 9-1 to win the fifth set and the match.

QUOTES & NOTES
"The positives are obviously we won first set and third set, 25-17, and we had a five one lead in the fifth. I'd say for like 65% of the match, we're playing really well. There were times in set two, definitely times in set four, where we got a little bit sloppy, and then we had the five one lead, and we kind of let them back into it. We took our foot off the gas. They stayed aggressive and went for 13 kills in the fifth set. But the thing we want to be proud of is the fact that we had it, we kind of did let them off the hook. They're a great team, and credit to them for finding a way to come back from five one, but we have to find a way to close that match at five one, so hopefully we'll learn from that, and maybe get another chance in the next week." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
"Fairfield is a great team, and we haven't won against them in quite a while, but we're looking for that. It just makes us hungrier for next week. Jeff had said that staying aggressive will win this match. We let go just a few too many times today, but just staying aggressive will be the key next time." – Sophomore Outside Hitter Rylah Robinson
 
- Fairfield completes the regular season sweep and extends their lead in the all-time series to 46-5.
- Robinson led the Broncs with 14 kills, reaching double figures for the eighth time this season.
- Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston) and Santiago each had 10 kills, reaching double digits for the 16^th and 15^th time this season, respectively.
- Frye led the Broncs with 22 assists, followed closely by Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head), who added 21 for their 24^th and 26^th match with double digits this year, respectively.
- O'Connor had double-digit digs for the 18^th time this season, finishing with a team-high 16 in the match.
- Rohde finished with double-digit blocks for the second time this season, finishing with 10.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .175 in the match, while the Stags hit .260.
- Fairfield had 64 kills in the match to 51 for Rider.
- The Stags had a 69-53 edge in digs.
- Rider held a 10-8 advantage in blocks and 10-2 advantage in aces.

UP NEXT
The Broncs close out the regular season Sunday at 1 p.m. when Sacred Heart comes to Alumni Gym on Senior Day.