When the Iona volleyball team hosts Rider on Thursday night, it will be the Gaels’ first home game in 25 days. Iona just completed a stretch of seven straight road games. Even on Homecoming weekend, the Gaels played on the road.

The match with Rider is the first of four straight home games to close out the regular season.

The Maroon & Gold (4-10 MAAC, 7-19 overall) enter this home-stand having dropped ten of their last eleven matches.

The Gaels hope playing at home will bring better results.

“The home games are really going to pump us up,” junior outside hitter Alicja Pawelec said. “We want to win in front of the home crowd.”

The Gaels have good reason to be optimistic, since the team has posted a 5-2 record at the Hynes Athletics Center this year.

Even though Iona is in ninth place in the MAAC, the Gaels have hung tough against most conference opponents. Six of Iona’s ten conference losses have been in five sets.

One such loss came at Manhattan on Oct. 20. After falling down 2-0, Iona rallied to win games three and four. But the Jaspers came away with the win in game five, 15-9. Pawelec compiled 18 kills and 18 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Cembalisty posted 15 kills and hit .286.

The next day, the Gaels played at Saint Peter’s. Iona swept the Peahens (25-22, 25-21, 25-17). The Maroon & Gold were firmly in control for the whole match and hit .273 as a team.

Pawelec led the way with 19 kills and a .432 hitting percentage. Freshman setter Natalie Ziskin compiled 40 assists and 15 digs.

Iona visited Marist on Oct. 24. The Gaels were defeated by the Red Foxes in three sets (20-25, 19-25, 19-25). Junior outside hitter Madisyn Spence led the Gaels with 11 kills and a .241 hitting percentage.

Iona traveled to first-place Fairfield (11-3 MAAC) on Oct. 27. The Gaels lost to the Stags in five sets (29-27, 26-24, 21-25, 21-25, 5-15). Sophomore middle blocker Catrina Warren posted 19 kills and a .390 hitting percentage. Pawelec amassed a double-double with 19 digs and 14 kills. Ziskin compiled 48 assists.

Even though the Gaels have been eliminated from playoff contention, they look to get back on track and finish the season strong during their upcoming home-stand.

After the Maroon & Gold take on Rider (4-9 MAAC) on Thursday night, they host Loyola (6-7 MAAC) on Nov. 3 at 11 am.

“We are going to fight hard,” head coach Jon Killingbeck said. “We are going to play to win.”