Volleyball digs for its first MAAC victory of ’05

By Joe Haubrich

The women’s volleyball team enjoyed its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) victory of the season on Saturday, Nov.. 5, with a come-from-behind win over Marist. But on Sunday, the Broncs were trampled by Siena 3-0 and became mathematically eliminated from the conference playoffs.

The volleyball seniors were feeling strong emotions as they partook in Senior Day Saturday, but on Sunday, those same seniors were feeling emotions of another sort.

Seniors Stefanie Lombardo, Jennifer Drummond, Embrey Minor and Kristine Dormer were honored before Saturday’s match. The team felt extra excitement and passion and after falling 30-23 in game one, the Broncs defeated the Red Foxes in consecutive games 30-28, 30-21, and 30-21. Minor had 39 assists and 13 digs; Stefanie Lombardo (New Castle, Pa/Laurel) had 10 kills and 24 digs; senior Kristine Dormer (Bowie, Md/Elizabeth Seton) added 13 kills and 17 assists.

Siena swept Rider in the final home match of the 2005 season, and the final home match for the four graduating seniors, by the scores of 30-22, 30-26 and 30-18.
It was Siena’s fifth straight win.

“We were a little flat today,” said head coach Emily Ahlquist. “A lot of emotion came out yesterday with that win over Marist. It was disappointing to go out this way at home, but we will always hold our heads up.”

After the loss, the Broncs were disappointed in their inconsistent efforts. They seem to playbetter when having fun for special occasions, like Saturday’s Senior Day.

“I don’t know why we can’t focus the way we do when we have a special occasion all the time,” said Minor. “The whole team is frustrated about it. It’s not a coaching thing because you can’t coach desire or heart.”

Minor had 14 assists, three service aces and nine digs. Minor is three digs away from 1,000 for her career. The Broncs have two more road games this weekend where Minor can reach that milestone.

“For me, that’ll be the culmination of the year,” said 5-3 Minor. “It means a lot. It’s kind of like ‘in your face,’ for all those people who said I could never play Division I volleyball because [of my] size.” Rider will finish the 2005 season in western New York this weekend with matches against Canisius and Niagara. The women will not be in the playoffs, but now they have an opportunity to knock teams out. The team has “nothing to lose,” according to Ahlquist.

The seniors took some extra time leaving Alumni Gymnasium after Sunday’s loss. Minor, Lombardo, Drummond and Dormer got to compete in their home confines for the last time.

“There are many good memories here,” said Minor. “We don’t want to leave. It’s time to move on, but it’s hard to leave.”