Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The Fairfield University volleyball team opened the 2013 campaign with a tough 3-0 (17-25, 17-25, 19-25) loss to Northern Iowa in the first game of the Utah Classic this evening at the Huntsman Center.

Senior Rachel Romansky recorded her first double-double of the season and the 41st of her career with 27 assists and 13 digs. Junior Marilyn Peizer added eight kills on .333 hitting. Sophomore transfer Hadley Orr recorded nine digs, six kills, and two total blocks in her first match as a Stag.

Senior Hayley Moyer recorded five kills and two total blocks while junior Caitlin Stapleton notched six kills and two total blocks. Junior Camille Coffey had three kills and five digs.

In her collegiate debut, freshman libero Bella Guanciale has six digs. Redshirt senior Carsen Mata chipped in with eight digs.

Northern Iowa, which advanced to the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, led from the start in the opening set, taking a 3-0 lead. The Panthers later extended their lead to 18-11. The Stags narrowed the gap to five points after Orr came through with a block and a kill but UNI held off Fairfield for the 25-17 win.

In the second set, the Stags erased a four-point deficit to pull within 5-4 on a block by Moyer and Stapleton. The Panthers responded with a 7-2 run to force a Fairfield timeout. After kills by Moyer and Peizer cut the gap to 12-8, UNI went on a 6-1 run to shift momentum. The Panthers took the second set, 25-17.

Fairfield got off to a solid start in the third stanza, taking a 5-3 lead on a kill by Moyer. The Panthers tied it up a 5-5 and the two teams would trade the next series of points. Tied 8-8, a kill by Brittany Nelson and a Fairfield attack error gave UNI the lead. The Panthers fought off the Stags the rest of the way for the 25-19 win.

Nelson and Macy Ubben finished with 11 kills apiece for UNI while Eryca Hintgen had a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs.

Fairfield (0-1) continues action at the Utah Classic tomorrow, August 31. The Stags face host Utah at 12pm (MT) followed by Utah State at 5pm (MT).