December 9, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women's College Basketball

Canisius College 76, Rider University 66

LAWRENCEVILLE--The light at the end of the tunnel is now in view. The Broncs began the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule Friday with their best effort of the season, giving preseason favorite and defending champion Canisius all it could handle.  “This was by far the best we’ve played this year,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison. “I’m not sure if it was because this was a MAAC game or if it was a young team starting to come together, but whatever it was, it was good.”

Canisius led 49-48 before the Broncs went on a 6-0 run, all six by junior Kara Borel (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg), to take a 54-49 lead with 12:15 remaining. Borel, who missed two weeks of preseason and the first game of the year with a concussion, finished with a career-high 19 points, along with seven assists and seven rebounds. “I told Kara after the game that now that I know she can do it, I’m going to expect it every night,” said Harrison.

“I felt I was my old self today,” said Borel. “Collectively, this was our best effort. We’re beginning to mesh together as a team.  We’re still finding ourselves, but today showed how we’re going to be in the MAAC. Canisius is picked first, and they’re very talented, but we came to play today, we raised our bar today.”

Rider trailed 20-12 before going on a 10-2 run, four points by freshman Shaunice Parker (Waldorf, MD/West Lake), to tie the score at 22-22.  Parker finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Canisius led 27-24 before the Broncs went on an 8-2 run, four of those eight coming from junior Monica Welborn (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin), to take a 32-29 lead with 4:40 left in the first half. Welborn finished with 10 points.

Holding a 67-63 lead, Canisius (3-3, 1-0 MAAC) out-scored Rider (0-6, 0-1 MAAC) 5-0 to take a 72-63 lead with 1:31 left to play.  Canisius made 10 of 12 foul shots in the final four minutes to preserve the victory.

Trailing 54-49, Canisius out-scored Rider 9-0, five points by Amanda Cavo, to take a 58-54 lead with 10:00 left to play. Cavo finished with 10 points.

Rider out-rebounded Canisius 38-36. “That was one of our focuses,” said Harrison. “We knew that if they controlled the boards we were in trouble.”

Sophomore Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) scored a career-high 15 points for Rider, as the Broncs had four players score in double figures. “I have a lot of confidence in Janele,” said Harrison.

For Canisius, Jessie Lamparski scored 17 points and Megan Lyte scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. “They came in as the preseason number one, and we're the preseason number 10, and we didn’t back down,” said Harrison.  “I’m very proud of our work ethic.”

Rider travels to SienaSunday for a MAAC contest.

-RU-