Box Score

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Fairfield University volleyball team was handed their first conference loss of the season falling at Iona College 3-1 (22-25, 15-25, 25-18, 16-25) this afternoon. Junior Haililani Pokipala (Honolulu, Hawaii) posted a double-double for the Stags who move to 5-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and into a four-way tie for first place in the league.

 

Fairfield along with Iona, Canisius, and Niagara, currently sit atop the MAAC standings with a 5-1 record. The Gaels (11-5) victory also snapped the Stags' 10-match winning streak against MAAC opponents during the regular season.

 

Pokipala finished the day with 10 kills and 12 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. She also tallied a career-best three total blocks. Senior Lauren Hughes (Costa Mesa, Calif.) had 12 kills while freshman Rachel Romansky (Denver, Colo.) had eight kills on .412 hitting, both career bests, to go along with 36 assists, five digs, and two total blocks.

 

Defensively, sophomore Kara Reis (Ramona, Calif.) had a season high 19 digs while junior Alex Lopez (Fort Collins, Colo.) had nine.

 

Fairfield trailed early in the first set but came from behind to tie things up at 16-16 on a block by Pokipala and freshman Hayley Moyer (Riverside, Calif.). With the score resting at 20-20, a Fairfield attack error gave Iona the lead to stay as the Gaels fought off the Stags for the 25-22 win. Iona carried that momentum into the second stanza opening up a 19-8 gap. Fairfield could not recover, falling 25-15.

 

The Stags bounced back in the third set with the 25-15 victory. With the scored tied 9-9 in the set, a kill by Hughes sparked a 9-3 run for Fairfield. Iona chipped away at the Stags' leading cutting it to three points, 20-17, but Fairfield registered four-straight points to halt the comeback. Iona opened the fourth set with a 10-3 run. The Stags cut the deficit to 12-10 but the Gaels went on a 7-1 run to put the match out of reach.

 

Iona out-blocked the Stags 12-6 on the day while Fairfield committed 10 service aces on the afternoon.

 

Fairfield will look to get back on track next weekend when they travel to Canisius and Niagara.