LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team was bested on the road at Rider on Friday evening in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play by a final score of 3-1 in Lawrenceville, N.J.
Ryleigh Short continued her strong stretch of play, tallying a 15-kill, 11-dig double-double. Short had double-digit kills in three of the last four matches and a double-double in two straight. Middles
Emily Sawyer and
Cristina Montanez both had good nights with 10 and nine kills, respectively. Both players tallied four blocks, with Montanez hitting .692 and Sawyer hitting .500.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 3-13, 0-4 MAAC
Rider: 6-8, 4-0 MAAC
Top Performers:
Ryleigh Short: 15 kills, 11 digs, 3 blocks
Emily Sawyer: 10 kills, 4 blocks, .500 hitting%
Cristina Montanez: 9 kills, 4 blocks, .692 hitting%
How It Happened:
After falling in the first set, 25-17, SHU kept things much closer in the second. The Pios opened the set with a 7-5 run, maintaining a slim advantage until a 6-1 surge by the Broncs put the home team ahead 14-11. The teams traded points from there until a 3-0 SHU spurt tied the set at 21-all. A 3-0 answer by Rider put it on the cusp of a 2-0 lead, as a 2-0 run by the Pioneers was not enough in a 25-23 Broncs' triumph.
Needing one more set to claim the win, the Broncs stormed out of the gates in the third to take an early 7-1 lead. SHU started to slowly chip away, cutting the margin to 13-9 before a thrilling 7-0 surge put the visitors ahead 16-13. Short highlighted the stretch with a trio of kills and a block. A 3-0 run by Rider evened the score at 19-all. Back-and-forth play ensued with the Broncs up 24-23 late. The Pios had enough fight left in them to force a four set, winning four of the next five points to claim a 27-25 win.
Sacred Heart came out in the fourth strong, leading 16-14 after 30 points. A 6-4 run by the Pioneers set the score at 22-18 SHU. The Broncs took over the frame from there, seven straight points to seal a 25-22 win in a four-set victory.
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the court again tomorrow at 1 p.m. to play Saint Peter's in Jersey City, N.J.
