Friday, August 30, 2024 / Saturday, August 31, 2024
Cherry and White Invitational
Rider Broncs (0-0) vs. Temple Owls (0-0) / Radford Highlanders (0-0) / FDU Knights (0-0)
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Time: 12 p.m. / 9:30 a.m. / 4:30 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+
Live Stats – OwlSports.com - Friday / Saturday (Radford / FDU)
 
What You Need To Know
- Friday's match will be available on ESPN+.
- Saturday's matches in not be streamed, but live stats will be available.
- 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.
- 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) set to reprise 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).
- The Broncs are 0-11 all-time against the host Owls, who the Broncs will also play later in the season in Alumni Gym. O'Connor had 12 digs to lead all players in the match last season. The Owls were 17-14 last season and return Taylor Davenport, who is the first player since 2021 to represent the program on the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team as the Owls were picked eight of 14 teams in the preseason coaches poll.
- Rider won in straight sets the only other time the Broncs and Highlanders met in 2019. The Highlanders return four players who finished with over 100 kills a season ago and have a new coach with Chris Hertel taking the reigns of the program this offseason.
- FDU snapped a five-match Rider winning streak in the series last year, but the Broncs still hold a 32-19 edge all time. Picked third in the NEC Coaches poll, the Knights have reached the NEC Championship match each of the last two seasons, winning the crown in 2022.