By Benjamin Shinault

Scoring did not come for free on Jan. 19 when Rider women’s basketball took a trip to the Bronx to face off against the Manhattan University Jaspers. The 46 point total for the Broncs was the second lowest amount of points scored this season. Rider turned up the heat in the fourth quarter with 21 points, but it was too late, as they fell to Manhattan, 58-46.

The first quarter was not good for either team as the Broncs would shoot 4-12 from the field for a field goal percentage of 33%, while Manhattan would shoot 3-13 for a percentage of 23%.

By the end of the first quarter, the Broncs would walk off the floor with the lead, 8-7. Sophomore guard Amany Lopez, scored half of the Broncs points in the first quarter. By the end of the game, Lopez would record a new career-high in points with seven.

Scoring started out hot in the second quarter for the Broncs as Lopez drove down into the paint and laid one up for two and about a minute later, graduate student forward Kristina Ekofo drove inside herself and scooped up two more points to put the Broncs up by five.

But, that would be it for the scoring in the second quarter, as Rider could only rummage up those four points from Lopez and Ekofo. Not only did the Broncs’ offense stumble, but so did the defense, as it gave up 18 points. By the end of the second quarter, Rider was down 25-12.

“We really dug a hole for ourselves in the first half,” Head Coach Jackie Hartzell said to Rider Athletics after the game. 

Coming out in the third quarter, junior guard Aliya McIver scored the Broncs’ first points in over 10 minutes with a layup to make the score 26-14. 

Rider’s play style adjusted in the third quarter as they got to the line for the first time all game and they surely cashed in, hitting six of its eight shots from the charity stripe. By the end of the third, Rider came a bit closer, trailing 40-25 entering the fourth quarter.

Within the final quarter of the game, the Broncs had their best offensive showing yet, as they totaled 21 points and outscored the Jaspers by three points.

Sophomore guard Emmy Roach and freshman guard Aina Perez Mesquida took on a bulk of the scoring responsibilities in the fourth quarter as Roach had six points while Mesquida had five points.

Roach and Mesquida’s efforts were a part of a minimal 9-2 run by the Broncs in the fourth quarter, but it was a bit too late for Rider.

The loss against Manhattan was Rider’s seventh loss in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play and now the Broncs have fallen to 2-7, 11th in the MAAC.

The Broncs will hit the Alumni Gym floor on Jan. 22 as they welcome in the Gaels of Iona University at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.