NORTH ANDOVER, MA - The Rider University volleyball team was defeated in straight sets Friday night, falling 25-12, 25-12, 25-17. The Broncs drop to 12-14 overall and 10-5 in MAAC play. The Warriors improve to 8-16 overall and 6-9 in league matches.
 
Merrimack was dominant in the opening set, building a 19-7 lead without the Broncs winning a single point on serve. Kiannisha Santiago (San Juan, PR/Hudson Catholic (NJ)) got a pair of kills during a 4-1 run, but a 5-1 counter run by the Warriors clinched the opening set.
 
Leading 9-7 in set two, the Warriors pulled away with a pair of 5-0 runs sandwiched around a Rider point and Merrimack never looked back, taking the commanding 2-0 lead.
 
The Broncs fought back in the beginning of set three with Molly Rohde (Hortonville, WI/Hortonville) getting three-straight blocks to help Rider build a 4-1 lead. Once again the Warriors were up to the challenge, scoring three-straight to tie the set. With Rider leading 5-4, Merrimack went on a 4-0 run, then up 9-7, the Warriors extended the lead with a 5-0 rally, and never looked back, earning the sweep.
 
QUOTES & NOTES
"Worst performance of the year and it's not even close. Executed nothing from the game plan and looked like we don't practice or prepare. We got embarrassed and I don't remember winning any battles in this match. To a player, we got outplayed in every area. Credit to Merrimack, they were clearly hungry and the better team tonight. This loss falls on me, and I have a lot of soul searching to do to find out why this team isn't playing for me." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
- Merrimack gets the split of the season series and Rider's lead in the all-time series is cut to 4-1.
- Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) had 11 assists for her 24^th match this season and 70^th match in her career with double digits.
- Keegan O'Connor (Weatherford, TX/Weatherford) led all players in the match with 15 digs to secure double figures for the 23^rd time this season and 73^rd time in her career.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit -.077 in the match, while the Warriors hit .268 as a team.
- Rider had 19 kills to 36 for Merrimack.
- The Broncs had 40 digs to 52 for the Warriors.
- Rider held an edge of 5-4 in blocks, with the Warriors leading 5-3 in aces.
- Santiago led Rider with seven kills.

UP NEXT
The Broncs are back in action Saturday at 5 p.m. against Quinnipiac.