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MAAC Semifinal Notes

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The fifth-seeded Fairfield University volleyball team put it all out on the court during the 2010 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Semifinal but could not overtake top-seeded Niagara University, falling 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-25) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The loss to the defending MAAC Champions moves Fairfield to 12-20 this season while Niagara improves to 24-8.

 

Freshman Rachel Romansky (Denver, Colo.), who secured a double-double in the second set, finished with 40 assists and a career-high 22 digs for her eighth double-double effort of the season. Sophomore Brianna Dixion (Long Beach, Calif.) tallied her first double-double of the season with 10 kills and a season-high 11 digs.

 

Junior Kendal Dirkin (Oak Park, Ill.) had 10 kills and two total blocks while classmate Haililani Pokipala (Honolulu, Hawaii) finished with nine kills, eight digs, and three total blocks, tying a career best. Sophomore Kara Reis (Ramona, Calif.) had 13 digs. Freshman Hayley Moyer (Riverside, Calif.) tallied seven kills and five total blocks.

 

The two teams battled in the early going of the first set, until Niagara was able to pull out to an 18-13 lead, after a Fairfield attack error. After a timeout by the Stags, Dirkin painted each side of the court with back-to-back kills to cut the gap, 18-15, and force a Purple Eagles timeout. Niagara, however, responded with a 7-4 run to close out the frame in the 25-19 victory.

 

The Stags did not back down in the second set, as Romansky served the first three points, capped off by an ace, for the early advantage. Moyer made it 4-1 with a kill but Niagara crept back, pulling within 4-3 on a kill by Kari Honomichl. The Purple Eagles later made it a 7-6 set, but a tap by Pokipala followed by a bomb by Hughes returned the lead to three points. Niagara would rally once again tying the score, 9-9, with an ace by Honomichl. After the Stags regained the lead, 11-10, on a kill by Lauren Hughes (Costa Mesa, Calif.), they were able to maintain it the rest of the way. Fairfield opened up a 21-17 lead on a kill by Dixion which was followed by a block by Moyer and Dixion and a solo block by Moyer for the six-point advantage. The Stags went on to the 25-20 win behind .394 hitting and a 5-2 blocking advantage.

 

Fairfield carried that moment into the third frame as Moyer made it a 4-1 frame with a kill that landed in the back left corner. Niagara came back and tied the score, 6-6, after a Fairfield attack error and took the lead on a shot by Kathy Bibler that landed just out of the reach of a diving Reis in the back row. The two teams would tie 11 more times before Niagara took a 20-18 lead after a pair of Fairfield errors. The Purple Eagles went on to the 25-20 win.

 

Niagara came out firing in the fourth set, jumping out to a 16-9 lead. That's all the ground the Purple Eagles needed as they picked up the 25-15 win to secure their spot in the MAAC Championship Final.

Fairfield has one more match left this season as the Stags will take on #3 Canisius in a consolatin match tomorrow at 11am. For the latest tournament information, visit MAAC Championship Central.