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FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The last time the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Volleyball Championship took place in Alumni Hall was 2007 and featured Fairfield University and Siena College battling it out for league supremacy. In the championship final that year, the Saints came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Stags in five sets.
 
While the rivalry may remain in 2012, times have certainly changed. This year, the top-seeded Stags rallied from two sets down to overtake the second-seeded Saints, 3-2 (20-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-20, 15-11), to win the 2012 MAAC Volleyball Championship on their home court. It is the sixth MAAC title in program history and the first for Fairfield since 2001.
 
Fairfield (22-8), winners of 10 consecutive matches, received a total team effort against the Saints. Senior Brianna Dixion led the way with 17 kills. Dixion was named the 2012 MAAC Volleyball Championship Most Valuable Player after posting 34 kills (3.78/s) and 23 digs (2.56/s) in two matches.
 
Joining Dixion on the All-Tournament Team were sophomore Marilyn Peizer and junior Rachel Romansky. Against Siena, Peizer came through will 11 kills, six digs, and two total blocks while Romansky notched her 16th double-double of the year with 47 assists and a season-high 22 digs. Romansky also moved into second all-time at Fairfield in assists by notching the 3,506th of her career.
 
Junior Hayley Moyer added 11 kills on .357 hitting, three digs, and four total blocks. Sophomore Caitlin Stapleton had five kills and three total blocks while freshman Maddie FitzPatrick had five total blocks and five kills.
 
The Stags seemed to get to everything hit their way, tallying 118 digs on the day, the second-most in program history. Senior Kara Reis registered 29 digs, sophomore Carsen Mata finished with 22 while Camille Coffey had 20 digs along with six kills and four assists. Senior Stephanie Cruz chipped in with six digs.
 
Siena (21-11) took the first set from Fairfield, 25-20, and then erased a late deficit in the second set to overtake the Stags, 27-25.
 
In the third set, Fairfield found itself trailing 15-12 after a kill by Meghann Wright. The Stags were able to stop Siena thanks to a kill by Coffey. After a Saints attack error, Moyer posted back-to-back kills to put Fairfield on top, 16-15. The Stags opened up a 22-18 lead on a huge kill by Peizer which forced a Siena timeout. The Saints came back pulling within, 22-20, but Peizer delivered a kill to stop the run. Fairfield went on to the 25-21 win.
 
Fairfield carried the momentum into the fourth set, jumping out to a 7-3 lead. Siena came back to tie the score, 8-8, and the two teams traded the next several points. With the Stags trailing 16-15, Moyer came through with a kill to tie it up and spark a 6-1 run. The Saints pulled within 22-20, but Fairfield closed out the set on a 3-0 run to force a deciding stanza.
 
Fairfield left no doubt in the fifth set, rattling off the first four points in front of a raucous Alumni Hall crowd. The Stags extended their lead to six points, 12-6, on a kill by Dixion. And while the Saints closed the gap to 14-11, it was clear that Fairfield could not be stopped as Peizer came up with a kill to end the match.
 
The Stags, who are 12-0 at home this season, await their NCAA Volleyball Championship fate as the NCAA Selection Show will take place on November 25 at 4pm live on ESPNU. The first round of the NCAA Volleyball Championship will take place on campus sites November 29-30 or November 30-December 1.