Box Score


FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University volleyball team won their fifth straight match by topping Siena College 3-1 (25-22, 32-30, 25-27, 26-24) this evening at Alumni Hall. With the win, the Stags improve to 6-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
 
Junior Brianna Dixion and freshman Caitlin Stapleton each tallied 11 kills for the Stags while freshman Lindsay Weaver had 10 kills. Stapleton added five total blocks while Weaver chipped in with four total blocks, four digs, and three aces.
 
Defensively, libero Kara Reis had a season-high 25 digs while senior Haililani Pokipala added 18 digs. Senior Lauren Balmert finished with 11 digs.
 
In the first set, Siena (4-10; 2-4 MAAC) trailed by as much as five points before coming back to tie the score. The Saints took a 22-21 lead but then committed consecutive errors to return the lead to Fairfield. Up 23-22, Balmert got a hand on a Taylor Akana blast which allowed Rachel Romansky to set it Dixion who put it home. Dixion then put the match away with another kill.
 
Fairfield (9-8) got off to a slow start in the second stanza, falling behind Siena by a margin of 17-11. The Stags were clawing their way back when Stapleton sparked a huge 5-0 run for the Stags which was capped off by an ace by Weaver, giving Fairfield a 21-20 lead. The two teams continued to battle it out, exchanging points until the score came to rest at 30-30. Stapleton and senior Kendal Dirkin teamed up for a block to give the Stags the lead and the game ended on a Siena attack attempt that sailed just beyond the backline.
 
Siena never trailed in the third set but Fairfield kept it close. The Stags were trailing 23-18 when they roared back, pulling within 23-21 after a Siena error. After a kill by Akana, Fairfield was able to hold off set point, coming back to tie the score, 24-24, on a kill by Dixion. After a kill by Colleen Ahearn, Dixion retied the score with a kill. The Saints were able to hold off the Stags, going on to a 27-25 win.
 
In the fourth set, Fairfield opened up a 15-11 advantage, but Siena posted four-straight points to the score. With the score knotted at 23-23, Stapleton found an empty space in the back corner for her 11th kill of the night. Amanda Sawlsville answered with a kill of her own to tie the score once again. Pokipala delivered her eighth kill of the night to tip the momentum in the Stags' favor as they went on to the 26-24 win.
 
Dirkin finished with six kills and three total blocks while Romansky had 43 assists, six digs, and two kills.
 
Fairfield will host a pair of MAAC matches this weekend when Manhattan visits on October 8 followed by Saint Peter's on October 9. Both matches are slated for 2pm in Alumni Hall.