Final Stats

Siena Volleyball swept Rider 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-20) to advance to the MAAC Semifinals. The Saints will face tournament host and #1 seeded Fairfield on Saturday, November 19 at 2 p.m.

The Saints and Rider are now 1-1 when facing each other in the MAAC Tournament. The Broncs won back in 2002 in five sets. Rider may have beaten the Saints twice during the regular season, but Siena would take the match that would push them into the Semifinal round, after missing out last season.

Rider and Siena would fight hard in the first set to get that advantage early on. The first set would contain 15 tied scores and six lead changes. Neither team would take the lead as they exchanged points back and forth on the neutral court. Rider was up 14-13, but the Saints would then go on a 4-0 run for a 17-14 lead. The Broncs would come back and tied the set 20-20. Siena did not give up and went on to take the set 25-23 off a kill from Briana Flagg.

The Broncs came out swinging in the second set and took a quick 7-3 lead as Siena would be forced to call a timeout. The timeout would not do much for the Saints as Rider continued to hold the advantage and go up 13-7. With Rider still holding a 15-9 lead, Siena would call their final timeout of the set. It would not be the end for the Green and Gold as they would come back and tie the set 21-21. It would be a 6-0 run for the Saints as they would make the comeback and take a 24-21 lead. Flagg again closed the set with a kill to give the Saints a 2-0 lead.

Coming off a huge comeback in the second set to take a 2-0 lead, Siena started the third set on a 3-0 run. The Broncs would follow quickly and tie the set at seven a piece. The Saints wouldn't let Rider stay close and would go on a 5-0 run for a 12-7 lead. After giving Rider one point, Siena took a 16-8 lead which would force a Rider timeout. The Broncs would chip away at the lead. Rider took away three match points for the Saints as Siena led 24-20. Sonja Vasovic would put the match away with a kill.

Both Flagg and Vasovic finished the match with 12 kills each. Haley Howell dished out 40 assists for the Saints. Kalehua Katagiri recorded 16 digs, while Bobbi Lin Kalama and Howell added eight.

The Saints have a quick turnaround as they face the tournament host and #1 seeded Fairfield in the MAAC Semifinals on Saturday, November 19. First serve is set for 2 p.m.