LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ– The Rider University volleyball team got a senior day victory Sunday afternoon, defeating Sacred Heart 25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 25-22. The Broncs close out the regular season at 15-16 overall and 14-4 in MAAC play, while the Pioneers fall to 15-15 on the year, and wrap up the year 11-7 in league matches.
 
Rider made a statement from the game's opening serve, quickly opening a 4-1 lead on an ace by Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville). Leading 7-4, Rider used another 3-0 run to extend the lead to six. Down 17-10, Sacred Heart used a 5-0 run to get back into the set, but the Pioneers would get no closer.
 
Early in the second, it would be Rohde getting a pair of blocks during a 4-0 run that gave the Broncs a 4-1 lead in the set. With Rider leading 15-11, The Pioneers went on a 6-1 run to take the lead at 17-16. Trailing 20-19, Anja Kelly () had a pair of kills in a 5-0 run to give the Broncs four set points. The Pioneers would stave off all four to tie the set at 24-24, but back-to-back kills by Kelly and Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston) gave Rider the set.
 
Out of the extended break, Sacred Heart opened up a quick 4-1 edge. Down 11-8, Rider would take the lead in the set with a 4-0 run during Rohde's serve. Leading 19-17, the Pioneers would close out the set with a 6-1 run.
 
Tied 5-5 in the fourth, Rider slowly built the lead to 14-10. Up 15-12, Rider appeared to pull away with a 4-0 run, including a pair of kills by Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson), but at 22-17, Sacred Heart went on a 5-0 run to tie the set. Once again Rider would find the answer to close out the set, with a kill and a block by Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)) as part of a 3-0 run to win the match.

QUOTES & NOTES
"We talked about playing for our seniors. It's always difficult when players are playing their last time on this floor in front of their family and everything, so we just talked about having good energy for them and playing with one heartbeat for them. I thought they did a good job of that. I thought there were moments that we were really, really clean. I thought there were moments that we got sloppy and we got into the weeds, and we have to still kind of work through that a little bit. But overall, I liked our aggressiveness, our floor defense today was really good. We really tried the key on Cam and Allison, because we know how good they can be, so it was really good to see us kind of control them a little bit better than we did the first match." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
"I started out my college career somewhere else, and it was a big culture shock coming here. It was a lot different, but in all the best ways. I think this is an environment where people get to grow as humans and as athletes, and it's just awesome. I came here and everyone was really accepting, and it's just awesome to be on the court with all my friends, my teammates every day. Coming to practice isn't a chore, it's awesome. It's great to be here. So it's going to be sad when it's all completely over, and it's sad to be here being the last game in the Broncs Zoo, but it's an awesome experience, for sure." – Senior Setter Ryley Frye
"I'm just going to miss my built in family. As soon as I stepped on the court and stepped in the gym the first day I was a freshman, I had 18 best friends, and I gained more throughout the years I've been here, and I'm just so excited to have them now, and in the future in my life, while I'm in graduate school or law school, wherever I'm going to end up. Very excited to have those girls having my back." – Junior Middle Hitter Carley McAleavey
 
- Prior to the match, the team honored its outgoing seniors, Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong[UTEP]) and Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West)
- Rider earns the season split and extends its lead in the all-time series to 7-3.
- Robinson led the Broncs with 16 kills on .417 hitting, reaching double figures for the ninth time this season.
- Giehtbrock finished with 13 kills, reaching double digits for the 17^th time this season.
- Kelly had 10 kills to reach double figures for the second time this season.
- Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) led the Broncs with 29 assists, followed closely by Frye who added 21 for their 27^th and 25^th match with double digits this year, respectively.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) reached double-digit digs for the 19^th time this season, finishing with a match-high 21 in the match.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .236 in the match, while holding the Pioneers to .128.
- Rider had 59 kills in the match to 47 for Sacred Heart.
- The Broncs had a 54-49 edge in digs.
- Rider held a 11-9 edge in blocks, but the Pioneers had a 12-2 advantage in aces.

UP NEXT
The Broncs will be the three seed in next week's MAAC Tournament. The Broncs will play their first game Friday night at 7:00 p.m.