Rider University Athletics

QUEENS, NY - The Rider University volleyball team was defeated twice Friday afternoon, falling to host St. John's and East Texas A&M at the Lou Carnesecca Invitational, 25-17, 25-22, 25-13, and 24-26, 25-14, 25-21, 25-22, respectively. The Broncs fall to 1-3 on the season, while the Red Storm improve to 3-1 and Lions improve to 4-1.
 
Against St. John's, Rider trailed 9-6 in the opening set, when the Red Storm went on a 5-0 run to take control of the set, going on to claim the set by eight.
 
Trailing 15-11 in set two, Rider scored four-straight points, including an ace by Katie Cook (Stanley, NC/East Lincoln[Robert Morris]) to even the set, and would later take a 17-16 lead. With Rider leading 18-17, St. John's scored three-straight points, and neither side was able to score on serve, until the Red Storm took advantage of their first set point to go ahead 2-0.
 
Down 9-4 in the third, Rider scored three-straight on Simone Langford's (Hollywood, FL/Flanagan) serve, but St. John's immediately responded with a 6-1 run, then leading 16-11, the Red Storm pulled away with a 5-0 run.
 
After falling behind 5-3 in the first set against East Texas A&M, Olivia DeSaro (Holland, PA/Council Rock South) served four-straight points to give Rider the lead. Rider held a 13-10 lead when the Lions came back with a 4-0 run to take the lead and the set would go back and forth. Down 22-21, the Broncs got kills from Anja Kelly (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) and Cecilia DeCaro (Wilmington, DE/Ursuline Academy), along with a block by Tori Bonacci (Downingtown, PA/Bishop Shanahan) to earn set point. After the Lions tied the set 24-24, the Broncs regained the lead before Maisie Nawrocki (Willoughby, OH/Willoughby South) got her eighth kill of the set to give Rider the first-set win.
 
Rider jumped out to a 2-0 lead in set two, using another early Nawrocki kill, but the Lions then scored four-straight to take the lead in the set. Leading 11-9, the Lions used an 8-1 run to pull away and the Broncs never recovered.
 
Set three was tight early, then tied 9-9 the Lions scored four-straight. Rider immediately answered with five-straight, capped by back-to-back kills by Rylah Robinson (Fairfax, VA/Robinson) to retake the lead. Tied 21-21, it would be the Lions closing out the set with a 4-0 run to take control of the match.
 
The Lions carried the momentum into set four, scoring the first six points of the set. Down 19-13, Rider scored five-straight, including two blocks and a kill by Bonacci. The Broncs would be unable to complete the comeback, as the Lions would never allow the Broncs to even the set, taking the final set of the match.
 
QUOTES & NOTES
- St. John's lead in the all-time series is now 2-0. It was Rider's first-ever meeting with East Texas A&M.
- Makenna Mason (Hilton Head Island, SC/Hilton Head) had a team-high 18 assists against St. John's and 43 against East Texas A&M giving her four matches this season and 81 matches in her career with double digits. She added 16 digs against East Texas A&M for her second double-double of the season and 16^th of her career.
- Langford led Rider with 11 digs against the Red Storm and 19 against the Lions, giving her double figures for the fourth time this season and 16^th time in her career.
- Nawrocki led Rider with 14 kills in match two, her first career match with double figures.
- Kelly added 12 kills against the Lions, securing double figures for the second time this season and fifth time in her career.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- The Broncs hit .020 in the match against St. John's, while the Red Storm hit .300 as a team.
- St. John's had 36 kills to 30 for the Broncs. Robinson led Rider with nine kills in match one.
- The Red Storm had 31 digs to 23 for the Broncs.
- St. John's held an edge of 8-3 in blocks, and Rider had a 5-3 advantage in aces.
- Against East Texas A&M, Rider hit .130 with the Lions hitting .181.
- Rider had 54 kills in match two to just 48 for the Lions.
- The Broncs had 65 digs compared to 56 for East Texas A&M.
- The Lions had a 12-7 advantage in blocks and a 6-2 edge in aces.
 
UP NEXT
- The Broncs return Saturday at 10 a.m. to complete play at the Lou Carnesecca Invitational against UAB.