Rider defends Canastra Hammer Arena with two Metro wins
By Lindsay Scarola
Rider volleyball picked up two Metro Conference wins in a weekend sweep, defeating Canisius University, 3-2, and Niagara University, 3-1.
Down to the wire
The Broncs started hot, scoring the first six points against Canisius University on Oct. 2, including three kills from junior outside hitter Aubrey Baker.
Down 7-2, the Golden Griffins went on a 5-0 run to tie the set, then added five more to take the lead.
Rider fought back with four of its own, including an ace from freshman middle blocker Tori Bonacci, to tie the set at 12.
Though they were down late, the Broncs outscored Canisius 5-1 taking the opening set, 25-22.
The Golden Griffins led 4-1 in the second, but the Broncs countered, tying the set at five.
Locked at 13-13, Rider then took a six-point lead after going on a 7-1 run led by two blocks and kills from senior middle hitter Molly Rohde and senior outside hitter Rylah Robinson.
The Broncs held on with a 5-1 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Momentum changed in the third set, Canisius would lead 4-1 and never trailed in the set.
Despite Rider remaining close throughout, the Golden Griffins closed it out with a 9-1 run to gain a set and stay alive.
11 ties and three lead changes defined the fourth set. Rider held a 15-13 lead with an ace from sophomore defensive specialist Carly Allen, but Canisius fought back to tie it at 17.
Down by two, the Golden Griffins went on a 5-1 run, flipping the momentum and taking the fourth set, 25-22, forcing the final set.
In a winner-takes-all match to 15, Canisius had the lead early, but Rider came back to tie the set at seven.
Trailing 10-9, the Broncs broke the serve to take control. Back-to-back kills from Robinson gave them a 12-10 lead.
A kill by Bonnaci made it 13, but an attack error from Canisius gave Rider set point, allowing for Rohde to finish the match with the final kill.
Following the match, Head Coach Jeff Rotondo reflected on the importance of the win.
“This was definitely a win we needed to get, and our mindset going into this match was a key all week. I was proud of the way the team battled through the ups and downs of the match. … Overall, this helped solidify that our start was not reflective of who we are as a team,” Rotondo said.
Momentum carried over
In the opening set on Oct. 3, Rider made a 6-0 run after trailing 10-9 taking a seven-point lead over Niagara due to back-to-back double blocks from senior right side Anja Kelly and Rohde.
Holding the lead, 21-16, the Broncs ended the set on a 4-0 run, with a block and a kill from Robinson and Rohde.
Early on, it looked like Rider would dominate in the second set, having a 7-3 lead off an ace by senior setter Katie Cook.
However, the Purple Eagles came back on a 6-0 run to take the lead in the set 11-10.
After multiple lead changes, Niagara held onto a late two-point advantage before scoring four straight points to take control of the set and tie the match.
Rider regained its momentum in the third.
Up 11-6, it pulled away with a 9-1 run, securing a 25-12 set win and taking a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Broncs held a 10-6 advantage when the Purple Eagles scored four to tie the set. Now tied at 11, the Broncs regained control on a 4-0 run with aces by senior libero Simone Langford.
The Broncs continued to pull away with another four-straight points. An ace from freshman defensive specialist Olivia DeSaro put the final point on the match, securing the 3-1 win.
Reflecting on the weekend, Rohde said the team’s confidence played a major role in its ability to respond and finish strong.
“When we’re playing with confidence, we communicate better, play more freely, and feed off each other’s energy. I think that helped us come out ready to compete and play more like ourselves,” Rohde said.
The Broncs will travel to Sacred Heart University on Oct. 9 for a 7 p.m. matchup before heading to Fairfield University on Oct. 10 for a 4 p.m. match. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.
