College Softball
Rider's Paul, Matreale Honored by the MAAC

LAWRENCEVILLE--Junior Alyssa Paul and senior Rachael Matreale of the Rider University softball team were named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week respectively it was announced by the conference office Monday afternoon.

Paul and Matreale were honored for all games played March 26-April 1.

"The recognition is awesome," said head coach Tricia Carroll, in her 18th season at Rider.  "They both had a great week and more importantly the team did as well."

Paul, a 5-6 third baseman from Toms River, New Jersey (Toms River H.S. East), batted .714 in two games, 4-0 and 6-4 victories over Manhattan College as Rider opened conference play 2-0 for the first time since the 2010 season.  Paul also stole two bases and scored twice while handling 11 of 12 chances at the hot corner.

"Alyssa hit the ball well and played solid defense for us at third base," Carroll added.

Matreale, a 5-10 right handed pitcher from Williamstown, New Jersey (Williamstown H.S.), went 3-0 this past week with three complete games.

Matreale won both MAAC games over Manhattan on Sunday and worked all eight frames in an extra inning win at Columbia, recording four strikeouts while allowing only three hits. 

Against the Jaspers, Matreale has a combined 15 strikeouts in 14 innings and won the first game of the doubleheader with a two-hit shutout, the eighth shutout of her career.

Matreale also handled all nine chances in the field for the week. 

A Second Team All-MAAC selection as a junior, Matreale is now only eight strikeouts from the 500K plateau.

For the season, Matreale is 10-6 with a 2.29 earned run average and she has won 10 of 14 games with a 1.58 earned run average, recording 104 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings since the opening weekend of the season.

Her 6.5 strikeouts per seven innings is third in the MAAC (115th in the nation) and her 2.29 earned run average is third in the conference (and 126th nationally).

This is the third time this season that Matreale has earned MAAC Pitcher of the Week honors.

"Rachael has been great this year," said Carroll.  "After that rough first weekend at UNC-Greensboro, she re-focused and has just gotten the job done for us."

Matreale also earned Player of the Week honors from the website CollegeSportsMadness.com.  The website compiles exceptional performances from each conference on a weekly basis.

Rider hosts Lehigh on Wednesday in a non-conference doubleheader at Herb and Joan Young Field beginning at 3pm.

The first place Broncs continue conference play with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 7 at 1pm against Saint Peter's College.

-RU-