Two members of the Rider University volleyball team were named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic team it was announced by the league office Sunday.

Despite 13 digs each from junior Lacey Johnson (Aurora, Colo./Grandview) and sophomore Amy Jeary (Depew, N.Y./St. Mary’s), the Broncs concluded the 2007 season with a loss to the Greyhounds in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Saturday afternoon.  “The match kind of matched the dreary weather for both sides,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “It seemed that neither team could find any type of momentum.”

If you save the best for last as the saying goes, senior Katrina Stehle can’t wait for her the match on Saturday.  Playing in her next to last match in Alumni Gym, Stehle put on quite a show but it wasn’t enough as first-place Fairfield defeated Rider in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Thursday night.  “I though Katrina had a great match,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.

Down two games to none, the Rider volleyball team rallied to force a fifth and deciding game before falling by two points to Iona in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match on Sunday in Alumni Gym.  “Volleyball is a sport with many momentum changes and we had that today,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “Games one and two nothing was working right and we switched up the lineup and that gave us a spark.”

Despite a ‘double-double’ from freshman Katelyn Thompson, the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match at Saint Peter’s Saturday afternoon.  “If we would have won the first game, it would have been a completely different match,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist. 

Despite a ‘double-double’ from senior Katrina Stehle, the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match to Canisius on Sunday afternoon.  “Katrina played a great match,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “She added another dimension to both our offense and defense.  She played very smart.”

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match against Niagara Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gym.  “We came out flat and uninspired,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.

Eight really was enough.  Due to a violation of team rules by three players and injuries to another three, the Broncs dressed only eight in the Wednesday night match against Fairleigh Dickinson.  The result?  Rider rallied to defeat the Knights in five games, breaking a 14 match losing streak.

The Broncs were swept by the Jaspers in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Saturday afternoon.  “We finally played like our record,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “We came out flat and had no energy.”

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match at Siena on Friday night.  “It was spirited effort and we proved that we can play with anyone,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.

Despite jumping out to a two games to one lead, the Broncs lost to Marist on Sunday in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match.  “We out-dug Marist, had a higher hitting percentage and we just didn’t win the match,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “It was a battle back and forth.”

The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match at Loyola Saturday afternoon.  “Overall we came out slow, we were flat and in a conference match, you need a higher level of energy,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.

For the second match in a row, the Broncs dropped a five-setter, falling at Iona in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Saturday afternoon.  “It was another great competitive match,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “We did well sustaining our energy.  Now we need to figure out how to finish.”

Heart break for the Phillies, heart break for the Broncs.  On a day that saw the Philadelphia Phillies drop their second in a row in a best of five baseball series, the Broncs dropped three of five in their match with Saint Peter’s Thursday night.  “Both teams competed for five games,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “Saint Peter’s has had a ton of matches that have gone to the limit because they are very scrappy and we matched them point for point.  Both teams played well enough to win.”

The three-time regular season defending conference champion Stags showed that they may be on their way to a fourth straight title, defeating Rider in straight sets on Friday night in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match.  “Fairfield was very strong tonight,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “We just didn’t play very well.”

The Broncs were swept by Marist in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Thursday night.  “Marist came out very fast and ready to play,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “We started slow and had to fight back.”

The Broncs lost a four-set Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match to Siena Sunday afternoon.  “We came out serving tough and ran a faster game,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “We played better defense than we did on Saturday against Manhattan and limited Siena in the runs that they were able to get.”

In the first home match of the 2007 season, the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match to Manhattan Saturday.  “It was frustrating today,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “I think with the conference starting earlier than it has, both teams are still trying to find their identity.”

College.  All about learning.  Everything you do has a lesson attached.  And teams that are striving to become competitive have to go through the learning process.  The Broncs jumped out to a two games to none lead only to see the Purple Eagles storm back and defeat Rider 3-2 on Sunday in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match.  “Overall it was a good match between two evenly matched teams,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “Obviously you would have liked to come out on top however we drastically improved from Saturday against Canisius to today’s effort against Niagara so we are pleased with the progress that we made.”

Despite 12 kills and two blocks from sophomore middle hitter Brittany Hayes (Mitchelleville, Md./Elizabeth Seton), the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match at Canisius Saturday afternoon.  “We are still going through the learning process,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “Our middle hitters did a great job passing but we didn’t execute very well after that.  We need to be more consistent on the outside.”

Despite 19 assists from freshman Amanda Piccolini (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville), the Broncs were mauled by the Tigers in three straight games on Tuesday night in a non-conference match.  “It was good to play against a high caliber team like Princeton,” said assistant coach Michelle Walsh.  “They didn’t make too many mistakes and took advantage of every error that we made.”

Rider sophomore Brittany Hayes (Mitchelleville, Md./Elizabeth Seton) and freshman Katelyn Thompson (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills) were voted all-tournament honors as Rider split two matches on the final day of the Bobcat Invitational hosted by Quinnipiac University this weekend.  “After having 10 days off between matches, it was great to play again,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.

Despite 10 kills and seven digs from freshman Katelyn Thompson (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills) and a match high 17 digs from sophomore Amy Jeary (Depew, N.Y./St. Mary’s), the Broncs lost in straight sets to Quinnipiac on Friday night in the opening round of the Bobcat Invitational.  “It was a close match looking at the scores,” said assistant coach Michelle Walsh.  “But our mistakes made it that close.  Tonight was a match that we know we should have won.  It just came down to Quinnipiac making fewer mistakes than we did.”

Despite the 22^nd career ‘double-double’ from junior Lacey Johnson, the Broncs were swept by the Explorers in a non-conference match Wednesday.  “I thought our intensity improved and we played better than we did when we played La Salle last weekend,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “We passed the ball better and we had better communication.  We still made some errors and that was the difference in the match against a good team like La Salle.”

Despite a 'double-double' from junior Lacey Johnson, the Broncs were swept on the final day of the Temple Invitational Saturday at McGonigle Hall in Philadelphia.  “We had some positives to take out of the weekend,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “The freshmen played well and gained some great match experiences and we know once we get healthy, we’ll be in any match we play.”

The Broncs opened the 2007 season dropping two matches at the Temple Invitational Friday.  “We played better in the afternoon match,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist.  “In the opener it was the first time since practice began that all six starters were on the floor at the same time due to injuries so we were working out some timing issues.  We lost both but it was a good day and we showed some encouraging signs.”

The Rider University volleyball team has added six recruits to the 2007 roster, Rider head coach Emily Ahlquist announced.

11 Rider University student-athletes were honored Friday as part of the 20^th annual National Student-Athlete Day.