PHILADELPHIA – La Salle will again hit the road on a "hump-day" as they travel to Lawrenceville, NJ for a tussle with the Rider Broncs. The Explorers will try to get back into the win column after experiencing a rough weekend in Baltimore, which saw straight set losses to Loyola (Md.), Delaware and UMBC. The Blue & Gold will not have it easy, as the Broncs are coming off a win of the St. Francis Brooklyn Terrier Invitational, sweeping all three matches this past weekend.
 
Rider Broncs (6-1) vs. La Salle Explorers (1-7)
Wednesday September 11, 2013 | 7:00 PM | Alumni Gym – Lawrenceville, NJ
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Scouting the Explorers
 
La Salle enters the matchup having dropped seven straight after their season opening win over Fairleigh Dickinson. The Explorers experienced a tough weekend tournament in Baltimore dropping all three tournament matches in straight sets.
 
Kelly Perillo has continued to be an offensive stalwart for the Explorers, racking up 44 kills over this past week. For her stellar play this weekend, she was named to the Radisson Cross Keys Greyhound Challenge All-Tournament Team, the second all-tournament team honor she has earned in as many tries this season. Perillo ranks third in the Atlantic 10 Conference with 92 kills, while ranking ninth with a 3.29 kills/set average. The Explorers continue to funnel their attack through the strong play of their setters. Rachel Melich leads the Explorers with 130 assists, while Michelle Healy has contributed an equally strong 128 helpers on the season.
 
Defensively, La Salle boasts one of the most intimidating net front presences in the A-10. Freshman Ashley Felton is tied for sixth with 28 blocks this season, while her four solo blocks pace the conference in that category. Sophomore libero Erin Noga paces the Explorers in digs. Her 121 digs rank second most in the conference, while her 4.32 digs/set average ranks fifth.
 
Scouting the Broncs
 
Rider enters the matchup flying high after a weekend sweep of the St. Francis Brooklyn Terrier Invitational. The Broncs 6-1 start is their best start since 1984 when they started the season 7-1, they will look to equal that mark against the Explorers.
 
Rider ranks at or near the top of the Metra Atlantic Athletic Conference in most offensive categories. They lead the conference in hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, kills/set average, blocks/set average, and service aces/set average. They also rank second in assists/set average.
 
The Broncs are led by the play of Bridget Sheerin. The 6'0 senior has been a terror for opponents on attack this year. She paces the Broncs with 66 kills (.452) and a 3.00 kills/set average. Her .452 hitting percentage leads all MAAC players, while her 3.00 kills/set average ranks fourth and 66 total kills rank fifth. Her sparkling play in this past weekend's invitational earned her MAAC Player of the Week honors. The Broncs supplement the attack of Sheerin with freshman middle hitter Kaitlyn Griffin. Griffin is perhaps the best freshman player in the entire MAAC. She ranks second on the Rider roster with 56 kills (.372) and a 2.80 kills/set average. Her 56 kills and 2.80 kills/set average are the sixth best marks in the conference. She is also a menace defensively at the net leading the Broncs with 3 solo blocks and 19 block assists, she holds the third best blocks/set average in the conference. Griffin was named MAAC Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week after another strong showing during the weekend's invitational.
 
The Broncs primarily run their attack through junior setter Ashlee Amatulli. Amatulli leads Rider with 144 assists, the sixth most assists in the MAAC. Her 6.55 assists/set average rank seventh in the conference. Amatulli is also extremely dangerous with her serve. Her 11 service aces are tied for the second most in the conference, while her 0.50 service aces/set average stand alone as second best in the MAAC.