The Bobcats took to Burt Kahn Court for the first time this season as they welcomed the Rider Broncs in the first game of conference play. Quinnipiac came in with a 3-9 record and is coming off back-to-back losses at the Dartmouth Invitational, while Rider had not won a game since August 31, a nine-game stretch.
The Broncs started strong, scoring four of the first five points. The Bobcats stormed back, taking five of the next six points with two kills by graduate Elena Giacomini.
The Bobcats went into the first timeout up 12-9. Rider cut the deficit to two, but Quinnipiac held on to win the first set 25-19, led by Giacomini with six and a half points and five kills.
The second set started with back-and-forth play, with four ties before the 10th point. The Bobcats had the lead for most of the early part of the set, but Rider eventually took an 11-10 lead. Quinnipiac came back, causing Rider to call a timeout while trailing 16-14.
Rider came out of the timeout hot, taking a 19-17 lead and forcing the Bobcats to take their timeout. It looked like Rider would win the set by four, but the Bobcats forced a tie at 24. Rider then scored two straight to take the set 26-24. Rider had seven blocks in the second set with nine kills.
After dropping the set, coach Kyle Robinson told his team to be relaxed and disciplined.
“Athletes have a tendency to let emotion take over more than discipline,” Robinson said. “I said, ‘Hey relax,’ because we looked tense in that second set.”
“It was not something that worried us because we were really focused toward the goal [of winning],” said Giacomini. “I feel like the team has played in a very good way, trying not to panic.”
The beginning of the third set was also a tight affair with the Bobcats having the lead for most of the set, but Rider came back to take an 11-9 lead.
The Bobcats kept the set close and took a 19-17 lead. Quinnipiac held on to win the set by three points and led the match 2-1. The team had 18 kills and three blocks in the set.
The fourth set began like the previous two sets, with both teams displaying strong offense and exchanging points. Quinnipiac took a 17-14 lead and forced Rider into a timeout. The Bobcats would hold on to the lead to take the set 25-21 and the match three sets to one. The Bobcats had three aces in the final set along with 14 kills.
Giacomini led the team with 19 kills and 21.5 points. Sophomore Leilani-kai Giusta had 16 kills along with 20.5 points and three aces. Senior Fa’avae Kimsel Moe had 20 digs and two aces.
Junior Brynn Johnson led the Broncs with 16 points and 13 kills alongside Paige Giehtbrock who had 13 points and 10 kills.
The Bobcats will return to action tomorrow against Saint Peter’s at 1 p.m. The Peacocks will have to travel down from Massachusetts after playing Merrimack Saturday.
“Everyone’s coming for us,” said Robinson. “When you lose a player like Ginevra [Giovagnoni], they all go, ‘We got a shot,’ and I always go, ‘No you don’t.’”
