Rider University Athletics

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Rider University volleyball team needed five sets Friday night, but defeated Canisius, 25-22, 25-18, 16-25, 22-25, 15-12. The Broncs improve to 2-11 on the season, and 1-3 in Metro play, while the Golden Griffins fall to 2-12, and an equal 1-3 in conference play.
 
The Broncs got off to a quick start, scoring the first six points of the match, led by three kills from Aubrey Baker (Vestal, NY/Vestal[Merrimack]). Down 7-2, Canisius would respond with a 5-0 run to tie the set, extending the run to 10-1 to take the lead. Rider would have the response, immediately answering with four-straight, capped by an ace from Tori Bonacci (Downingtown, PA/Bishop Shanahan), tying the set 12-12. Trailing 21-20, Rider outscored the Golden Griffins 5-1 down the stretch, including aces from Carly Allen (Buffalo, NY/Sacred Heart Academy) and another from Bonacci to close out the set.
 
Canisius would jump out to a 4-1 lead in the second, but the Broncs quickly countered, with an Allen ace tying the set 5-5. Tied 13-13, Rider went on a 7-1 run led by two blocks and a kill each from Molly Rhode (Hortonville, IL/Hortonville) and Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson). Leading 20-17, Rider closed out the set with a 5-1 run.
 
In set three, Canisius jumped out to a 4-1 lead and never trailed in the set despite the Broncs remaining close early on. With the Golden Griffins leading 17-15, Canisius closed out the set with a 9-1 run to extend the match.
 
The fourth set would go back and forth, featuring 11 ties and three lead changes. Rider held a 15-13 lead following an ace from Allen, but Canisius came back to tie the set 17-17. Trailing 19-17, Canisius used a 5-1 run to flip the set for the final time, going on to win and force a decisive fifth.
 
In the fifth, Canisius took a 5-3 lead, but Rider came back to tie the set 7-7. Trailing 10-9, the Broncs got a side out followed by back-to-back kills from Robinson to take a 12-10 lead and the Broncs executed down the stretch to secure the fifth-set win.
 
QUOTES & NOTES
"A win we really wanted to get with the hole we put ourselves in. We did a really good job with our energy throughout, not just the six players on the court, but also everyone on the bench. We gave up the lead in that final set, but fought right back and did everything we could to get a win tonight. Tori has some athleticism that we've been trying to get on the floor, and she's been really good in practice lately. We want to play aggressive, and when we get away from being aggressive, we get blocked and get choppy. When we trust our arm swings, good things happen." – Head Coach Jeff Rotondo
 
"Sometimes my confidence can get low, but the team has done a great job at building me back up. The scout really helped with what was open on the court, and our back row did a great job talking a lot and really helped me see what was open. We talked a lot on the front row, really pressed, and what we've done in practice really translated into the game." – Freshman Middle Blocker Tori Bonacci
 
 
- Rider trims the Canisius lead in the all-time series to 34-19. This is the seventh time in the last ten meetings to need a deciding fifth set.
- Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) had a match-high 48 assists, giving her 13 matches this season and 90 matches in her career with double digits.
- Simone Langford (Hollywood, FL/Flanagan) led all players in the match with 17 digs, reaching double figures for the eighth time this season and 20^th time in her career.
- Katie Cook (Stanley, NC/East Lincoln[Robert Morris]) finished with a career-high 13 digs to reach double digits for the first time this season and second time in her career.
- Robinson led the Broncs with 14 kills to secured double figures for the second time this season and 22^nd time in her career.
- Bonacci had a career-high 12 kills for her first career double-digit kill match.
- Rohde added a career-high 11 kills to secure double figures for the first time this season and sixth time in her career.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .245 in the match, while the Golden Griffins hit .275 as a team.
- Canisius had 60 kills to 58 for the Broncs.
- The Broncs had 60 digs to 59 for Canisius.
- Rider held an edge of 11-5 in blocks and had an 11-7 advantage in aces.
 
UP NEXT
- The Broncs are back in action Saturday, hosting Niagara at 2 p.m.