Box Score

BRONX, N.Y. – The Fairfield University volleyball team battled it out with Fordham University, taking the Rams to five sets but in the end were edged 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 23-25, 25-19, 11-15) this evening. Four Stags had double-digit kills on the night, two of which had double-doubles. Sophomore Brianna Dixion (Long Beach, Calif.) led all players with a season-high 19 kills on .371 hitting.

 

Freshman Rachel Romansky (Denver, Colo.) notched her fourth double-double of the season with a career-high 60 assists and 10 digs to go along with seven kills. Reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Week Haililani Pokipala (Honolulu, Hawaii) notched her seventh double-double of the season with 13 kills and 10 digs.

 

Junior Alex Lopez (Fort Collins, Colo.) had a season-high 13 kills and added five digs. Freshman Hayley Moyer (Riverside, Calif.) tied a career best with 12 kills while junior Bethany Steiger (Cary, Ill.) set two new career highs of her own, finishing the night with seven kills and a .462 attack percentage.

 

On the defensive side, sophomore Kara Reis (Ramona, Calif.) registered a season-high 20 digs.

 

Fordham (13-14) erased an early five-point deficit in the first set and took a 15-13 lead. The two teams traded points until the score rested at 22-22 when the Rams were able to tally three-straight points for the 25-22 victory.

 

There were 15 ties and six lead changes in the second set. With the score tied 23-23, Kailee May delivered a kill to give the Rams the lead. Moyer held off set point with a kill of her own and a Fordham attack error gave Fairfield the 25-24 lead. A block by Moyer and Romansky on the final swing of the set gave the Stags the 26-24 win.

 

After the Rams took an early lead in the third set, the Stags never backed down throughout the entire frame. Trailing 22-19, back-to-back kills by Lopez and one from Moyer tied things up for Fairfield. The two teams tied once more at 23-23 before Fordham was able to eke out the 25-23 win.

 

The fourth set was another battle with eight tied and five lead changes. With the score deadlocked at 18-18, the Stags mounted a ferocious 7-1 run to close out the stanza and force a deciding fifth set. The final set was also a tight battle with eight ties and four lead changes. The Stags were leading 10-9, but a series of attack errors led to four points for Fordham and gave them a 13-10 lead. The Rams went on to the 15-11 win.