Box Score


JERSEY, CITY, N.J. – The second-seeded Fairfield University volleyball team was edged 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 32-34, 18-25) by top-seeded Niagara University as the Purple Eagles came from behind to capture their third-consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship title.
 
Setter Rachel Romansky and libero Kara Reis were named to the MAAC Championship All-Tournament Team. Romansky notched two double-doubles for the Stags while Reis had 37 digs over two matches.
 
Romansky finished 42 assists and 17 digs against the Purple Eagles for her 15th double-double of the season. Freshman Caitlin Stapleton notched 13 kills to lead the Stags offensively.
 
Senior Kendal Dirkin recorded 11 kills and four total blocks in her final match as a Stag. She finishes her career ninth all-time in total blocks at Fairfield with 243 and seventh all-time in block assists with 215. She also posted 618 kills over the last four seasons.
 
Senior Haililani Pokipala tallied two kills and four digs. She leaves the program 11th all-time in digs with 1,042 and tied for fourth all-time in aces (155). She also collected 664 kills in 122 matches played.
 
Senior Lauren Balmert tallied nine digs in her final match for Fairfield. She stands sixth all-time in career assists with 2,331. Balmert, a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, also accrued 890 digs, 94 blocks, and 84 aces in 119 career matches.
 
Fairfield (20-10) battled it out with Niagara (25-8) all afternoon in a match that featured 38 ties and 18 lead changes over four sets.
 
In the first set the two teams tied 13 times and traded the lead six times. The Stags opened up a 23-21 lead but the Purple Eagles' Hannah Hedrick tied it up with a pair of kills. A Niagara service error gave Fairfield the 24-23 lead and Romansky put it away a service ace.
 
Niagara responded in the second set. With the score tied 14-14, a kill by Hedrick ignited an 11-3 run for the Purple Eagles who went on to the 25-17 win.
 
The third set was another close one with 17 ties and nine lead changes. Trailing 22-21, Hayley Moyer tied things up with a kill while a Purple Eagles error gave the Stags the lead. Stapleton made it 24-22 with a kill but Niagara managed to hold off set point and tie the frame at 24-24. After exchanging points, the score came to rest at 32-32 after a kill by Marilyn Peizer. But tournament MVP Kari Honomichl countered with back-to-back kills to give Niagara the 34-32 win. The Purple Eagles carried that momentum into the fourth set, pulling out to a 17-10 lead and going on to the 25-18 win.
 
Moyer finished with nine kills on .375 hitting while Peizer added six kills on the day. Junior Brianna Dixion had eight kills. Defensively, Reis tallied 19 digs while Carsen Mata chipped in with 14 digs.
 
Hedrick finished with 20 kills and 11 digs while Honomichl had 19 kills and 14 digs for Niagara.