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FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Sophomore Alexys Vazquez tied a career-high with 15 points while classmate Katie Cizynski posted a double-double to power the Fairfield University women's basketball team to a 58-49 victory over Manhattan College this afternoon at Webster Bank Arena. With the win, the Stags improve to 15-5 overall and 8-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
 
Vaquez went 5-for-9 from three-point range for the second time this season. Cizynski posted her second career double-double, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Two other Stags scored in double digits. Junior Katelyn Linney had 11 points to go along with two assists while senior Taryn Johnson had 10 points, including a 6-for-6 performance from the free throw line. Johnson also blocked two shots and came away with two steals.
 
Fairfield pushed out to a 17-8 lead on a three-pointer by Vazquez at 9:47. Vazquez netted another three-pointer two possessions later to give the Stags the 20-11 advantage. Johnson made it an 11-point game, 24-13, with a pair of free throws. Vazquez buried a three-pointer as the shot clock expired at 2:36 to give Fairfield a 27-13 lead. Linney closed the half by draining a three-pointer of her own with nine seconds left to give Fairfield a 32-18 advantage heading into the break.
 
Manhattan (9-11; 3-5 MAAC) cut the gap to six points, 38-32, at the 14:27 mark in the second half. Back-to-back three-pointers by Vazquez and Linney returned the Fairfield lead to 12 points with 9:17 left. Sophomore Christelle Akon-Akech gave Fairfield its largest lead of the game, 50-34, at 5:45 with a jumper.
 
The Jaspers would pull within five points, 52-47, in the final 1:30 of the game, but the Stags held them off for their fourth-straight victory.
 
Senior Desiree Pina tied a career-high with seven assists, which included the 300th of her career. Pina also had five points and three rebounds. Akon-Akech finished with four points and two steals. Junior Brittany MacFarlane grabbed five rebounds.
 
Fairfield shot 50 percent from the field for the game, connecting on 19 of its 38 shots. The Stags were 56.3 percent from long range, going 9-for-16, and were 91.7 from the free throw line, hitting 11 of 12.
 
The Stags are off to their best 20-game start since 2000-01 when they opened that campaign at 16-4.
 
Fairfield continues MAAC action on January 29 when it travels to Iona College at 2pm.