Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Fairfield University volleyball team picked up its first win of the season by downing NJIT 3-1 (25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-8) this afternoon at the Hofstra Invitational.
 
Junior Brianna Dixion exploded for 20 kills on .351 hitting while picking up three blocks. Sophomore Rachel Romansky and rookie Camille Coffey each recorded double-doubles while four other Stags were in double figures.
 
Romansky finished with 54 assists and 12 digs for her second-straight double-double. She also added a block and four kills. Coffey, meanwhile, tallied a career-best 14 kills and 17 digs for her second double-double of the season. She also added two assists, two aces, and three total blocks.
 
Freshman Caitlin Stapleton tallied a season-best 12 kills on .435 hitting to go along with four assists, two digs, and a block. Rookie Lindsay Weaver also had a season-best with 10 kills, while notching three aces, and two total blocks.
 
Senior Kendal Dirkin had a strong afternoon in the middle, posting total blocks and nine kills. Freshman Carsen Mata tallied 15 digs, Haililani Pokipala notched 12 digs, and Lauren Balmert had eight to help the Stags defensively. 
 
Fairfield (1-5) came out strong in the first set, hitting .424 with 17 kills. With the score tied 19-19, Coffey stepped to the line and served four straight points for the Stags and powered them to a 25-20 victory.
 
In the second set, the Highlanders (1-3) erased an early deficit and came back to tie the score, 18-18. After trading several points, a kill from Dixion put the Stags on top, 23-22, and Dirkin made it a two-point game with a kill of her own. NJIT answered with a kill but Dirkin put the set away with a kill.
 
The Highlanders trailed early in the third set, but with the score tied 10-10, Janet Snell registered a kill to break the stalemate. NJIT would not trail the rest of the game moving on to the 25-21 win.
 
The Stags dominated the fourth set, pounding out 17 kills on .500 hitting while holding the Highlanders to a .032 attack percentage in the 25-8 win. Fairfield closed out the match on a 9-0 run en route to their first victory of the year.
 
Fairfield finishes out play at the Hofstra Invitational against St. Francis (NY) at 5pm this afternoon.