LOUDONVILLE, NY – The third-seeded Rider University volleyball team won its match in the quarterfinals of the MAAC Tournament, defeating seventh-seeded Merrimack 24-26, 25-13, 25-22, 25-22. The Broncs improve to 16-16 on the season, while the Warriors end the season at 10-21.
 
The first set was extremely tight throughout. Trailing 19-18, the Broncs finally appeared to take control of the set with a 5-0 run, getting two kills and a block from Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)). The Broncs maintained the lead and earned three set points at 24-21, but the Warriors responded with a 5-0 run to take the opening set.
 
Rider came back with a vengeance in set two. The Broncs scored the first five points of the set, including a pair of aces from Ryley Frye (New Hope, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong[UTEP]). The Broncs continued to pull away, extending the lead to 14-3 with another 5-0 run, including back-to-back-to-back kills from Anja Kelly (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley). The Broncs' lead in the set would never fall below 10.
 
Out of the break, Merrimack came out firing, scoring four-straight points to take an early advantage in set three. Down 12-9, Rider fought back with a 4-0 run to take their first lead of the set, including two kills from Santiago. With Rider holding a 17-15 edge, Merrimack would come back with a 5-0 run to take a 20-17 advantage. Down 22-20, the Broncs would find a way to win. After a side out, Santiago subbed in and immediately took over with a block followed by back-to-back kills to give Rider set point, where Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston) got the kill to give the Broncs the set.
 
In set four, the Broncs jumped out quick, going up 10-3 in large part thanks to back-to-back-to-back aces by Giehtbrock. With Rider up 21-11, Merrimack refused to go down without a fight, scoring five-straight points. Down 23-16, Merrimack went on a 6-1 run to pull within 24-22, but the match's final serve would be sent long by the Warriors to allow the Broncs to advance to Saturday's Semifinal.

QUOTES & NOTES
"There were moments that we were really, really good and clicking, and I thought there were moments that we struggled. I think was partly due to what Merrimack was doing with their defense. Their hitters just keeping us off balance a little bit. We came in and describing them as a dangerous team, because they don't have a lot to lose, they play scrappy defense. They're playing with house money a little bit, so we really wanted to make sure that we were trying to fight, trying to find a way to match their energy and their intensity, because, that's how they've been playing all year."
 
"[Kianny] was great. This is the conversation we've had with her a lot about, 'You have the ability to take over a match.' And she did that tonight. It was great to see, because we were a little bit off in some other positions tonight, but she stepped up and obviously played a big role in helping us get this win tonight." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
"From the beginning, I was very calm. I was saying to myself, it's point by point, set by set by set, and game by game. We started like a little off, but then everyone came up together. The connection with the setters was amazing today. Riley was doing an amazing job, McKenna, too. Every single pin, Paige, Rylah, Anja, they were doing amazing jobs, including my middles, Carley and Molly, and we got the result we wanted." – Junior Outside Hitter Kiannisha Santiago
 
- Rider extends its lead in the all-time series to 3-0
- Santiago set a career-high with 24 kills, hitting .467 in the match. The junior reached double figures for the 16^th time this season.
- Frye earned her sixth double-double of the season with a team-high 25 assists to go along with 11 digs.
- Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) added 21 assists for her 28^th match with double digits this year.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) reached double-digit digs for the 20^th time this season, finishing with a match-high 18 in the match.
- Giehtbrock tied O'Connor with 18 digs in the match, reaching double digits for the 10^th time this year.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .293 in the match, while holding the Warriors to .194.
- Rider had 64 kills in the match to 59 for Merrimack.
- The Broncs had a 73-58 edge in digs.
- Rider held an 8-7 edge in blocks, and a 10-7 advantage in aces.
- Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) finished with nine kills on .471 hitting to go along with five blocks.

UP NEXT
The Broncs advance to the MAAC Semifinals Saturday at 4 p.m. against second-seeded Quinnipiac.