Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn.– The Fairfield University volleyball team post their fifth consecutive victory by blanking Rider 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 26-24) this afternoon at Alumni Hall. Sophomore Marilyn Peizer led the way with a match-high 14 kills while senior Brianna Dixion had a double-double.
 
With the victory, the Stags improve to 17-8 overall and 12-3 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), remaining in a three-way tie for first place with Canisius College and Niagara University.
 
Peizer converted 14 of her 30 swings for kills and did not commit an attack error on the day. Dixion recorded her second double-double of the season finishing with 11 kills, including the 1,200th of her career, and 13 digs while tying a season-high with three total blocks.
 
Junior Rachel Romansky finished with 35 assists, eight digs, including the 800th of her career, four kills, and two total blocks. Freshman Maddie FitzPatrick added four kills and five total blocks, both career highs, while junior Hayley Moyer had three total blocks and five kills. Sophomore Caitlin Stapleton chipped in four kills and two total blocks.
 
Senior Kara Reis tallied 25 digs while sophomore Carsen Mata had two kills, six digs, and a block assist. Sophomore Camille Coffey added seven digs and a career-best three service aces.
 
There were 12 ties and seven lead changes in the opening stanza. With the scored tied at 19-19, Fairfield used a quick 3-0 run to force a Rider timeout. The Broncs stopped the run out of the break, but the Stags closed out the set with three unanswered points for the 25-20 win.
 
Rider took a 17-11 lead in the second set but Fairfield did not back down. The Stags surged back as Romansky tied it, 18-18, by slamming down a Broncs overpass for a kill. With the score tied 21-21, Coffey served three straight points to put the Stags ahead to stay as they picked up the 25-21 win.
 
Fairfield was trailing, 23-21, late in the third set when kills by Mata and Dixion tied the frame. A team block by Mata, FitzPatrick, and Dixion put the Stags ahead, 24-23. Rider tied it on a Jaclyn Webber kill but consecutive errors by the Broncs gave Fairfield the 26-24 victory.
 
The Stags out-blocked the Broncs, 9-5, and had a 44-28 advantage in kills. Webber finished with a team-high 12 kills for Rider.
 
Fairfield returns to action tomorrow, November 4, hosting Loyola University Maryland at 2pm in Alumni Hall. The Stags close out the regular season next weekend with a pair of crucial MAAC matches against Niagara and Canisius. Fairfield plays host to the 2012 MAAC Volleyball Championship, November 17-18, at Alumni Hall. Tickets are on sale now via MAAC.TicketLeap.com. For more information, visit MAAC Championship Central.