Saturday, November 22, 2025
No. 3 Rider Broncs (15-15, 10-6 MAAC) vs. No. 2 Quinnipiac Bobcats (14-18, 9-9 MAAC)
Location: Fairfield, CT
Time: 4 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+
Live Stats – FairfieldStags.com
Tickets – Hometown Ticketing
 
What You Need To Know
- All of this weekend's matches will be available on ESPN+.
- All matches in the MAAC Tournament are ticketed events. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for kids 12 and under and seniors.
- The winner of Saturday's semifinal match will advance to Sunday's MAAC Championship Match at 1 p.m. against the winner of Fairfield and Canisius.
- The Broncs defeated sixth-seeded Siena in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament Tuesday to advance to Saturday's semifinal match. Brynn Johnson (River Falls, WI/River Falls) led Rider with 11 kills in the match. Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) had a double-double with 28 assists and 14 digs.
- The Broncs advanced to the MAAC Semifinals for the sixth-straight season. The Broncs advanced to the MAAC Championship match in the 2020-21 and 2021 seasons, claiming the title in the 2020-21 season.
- Rider returns five starters from a season ago led by 2024 First-Team All-MAAC honoree Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)). Santiago was again named to the All-MAAC First-Team in 2025 and one-upped herself, being named the 2025 MAAC Player of the Year. The senior led the Broncs last season at 3.04 kills per set and 350 total kills. This season, Santiago is currently second in the conference at 3.90 kills per set. At Manhattan, Santiago recorded her 1,000^th career kill. The senior had 38 kills across the first conference weekend to earn MAAC Player of the Week honors, then earned MAAC Player of the Week honors for a second time after a 3-0 week to end October including setting a career-high with 25 kills against Niagara. She led all players in MAAC play, averaging 4.36 kills per set.
- Other returning starters include the middle hitter duo of 2024 Second-Team All-MAAC honoree Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) and 2025 Second-Team All-MAAC selection Carley McAleavey (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West). Rohde led the Broncs and was second in the MAAC last season with 139 total blocks and McAleavey led the Broncs and was fourth in the conference with a .289 hitting percentage. Rohde is fourth in the MAAC this season, averaging 1.11 blocks per set, while McAleavey is currently third in the MAAC this season, hitting .349.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) is reprising her role as starting libero. She led Rider and was sixth in the MAAC with 337 digs a season ago. She is sixth in the MAAC currently, averaging 3.57 digs per set. She recorded her 1,000^th career dig late in the fourth set at Siena. Early in MAAC play, O'Connor averaged 4.55 digs per set, including a season-high 21 in just three sets against Saint Peter's to earn MAAC Libero of the Week honors.
- Defensive Specialist Simone Langford (Hollywood, FL/Flanagan) also returns after finishing second on the team with 229 digs in 2024. She is fourth on the team this season with 167 digs and second on the squad with 26 aces.
- Key reserves returning for the Broncs include Mason, who has become the starting setter this season and was selected as a 2025 Second-Team All-MAAC honoree, after coming off the bench as the second setter in Rider's 6-2 offense last season. Outside hitters Johnson and Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson) have both seen time in the starting lineup and have earned significant playing time this season. Mason is currently third in the MAAC, averaging 9.17 assists per set and recorded her 1,000^th-career assist Rutgers. Mason has earned MAAC Setter of the Week three times this season. She finished second in MAAC play at 10.39 assists per set. Johnson tied a career-high with 16 kills against Siena in the regular season last week.
- Carly Allen (Buffalo, NY/Sacred Heart Academy) has been Rider's top freshman this season, currently fourth on the team in aces with 23 and fifth on the squad with 72 digs. Erynn Gotsch (DeLand, FL/DeLand) has been key for the Broncs since the start of conference play, sitting fourth on the team with 149 kills. Tyler Adams (Wilmington, DE/Ursuline Academy) has cracked the starting lineup recently, recording five or more digs in six of Rider's last 10 matches.
- Quinnipiac leads the all-time series over the Broncs, 18-14, including a season sweep this year. The Bobcats have won eight of the last nine over Rider, including wins over the Broncs in the MAAC Semifinals in both 2022 and 2024. The Broncs topped Quinnipiac in the MAAC Semifinals in 2021.
- In the first meeting between the teams this season, 19 digs from O'Connor and six blocks by Rohde were not enough for the Broncs as Quinnipiac got 20 digs from First-Team All-Team selection Elena Giacomini. MAAC Setter of the Year Damla Gunes dished out 32 assists. Quinnipiac was dominant in the return trip, holding the Broncs to 16 or fewer points in all three sets.