Box Score


SALT LAKE CITY - The Fairfield University volleyball team was edged by Utah State University, 3-2 (22-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22, 7-15) to close out action at the Utah Classic this evening at the Huntsman Center.

Numerous Stags posted double digits in the marathon match. Senior Rachel Romansky recorded her third-straight double-double with 49 assists and 11 digs. For her efforts in the first three matches of the year, Romansky was named to the Utah Classic All-Tournament Team. Romansky averaged 9.58 assists and 2.92 digs per set.

Sophomore transfer Hadley Orr tallied a career-high 11 kills along with six total blocks and seven digs. Junior Caitlin Stapleton tallied a team-high 15 kills, including the 600th of her career, along with four total blocks while junior Marilyn Peizer had 13 kills.

Redshirt senior Carsen Mata tied a career-high with 25 digs and added seven assists while Camille Coffey and Bella Guanciale registered 12 digs apiece.

Senior Hayley Moyer posted eight kills and had seven total blocks, one shy of a career-best, while junior Lindsay Weaver added seven kills.

There were 35 ties and 19 lead changes throughout the match. Fairfield out-blocked the Aggies, 11-10, but Utah State (2-1) had a 10-4 advantage in aces. Kills were almost even with the Aggies recording 60 to the Stags' 59. Digs were 77-71 in favor of Utah State.

Fairfield trailed early in the first set until Stapleton tied it, 13-13, with a kill. The two teams went point-for-point until the score came to rest at 22-22. Utah State's Rachel Orr came through with a kill while Elle Brainard closed it out with back-to-back kills for the 25-22 win. The Stags rebounded in the second set, taking control early. With the score knotted at 7-7, Peizer ignited a 4-0 run with a kill to put the Stags out in front. Fairfield would not look back, cruising to the 25-17 victory.

The third set was also tight with six ties and four lead changes. The Stags trailed early but a five-point swing, which was capped off by a Coffey service ace, resulted in a 13-11 advantage for Fairfield. The Aggies answered with a 5-0 run of their own to regain the lead. The Stags cut the gap to 22-20 on a kill by Peizer by Utah State was able to hang on for the 25-20 win.

Fairfield jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the fourth set but Utah State posted four unanswered points to tie it up. The Stags countered with a 5-0 run to pull ahead, 10-5, after a block by Moyer and Stapleton. Fairfield built up a 16-13 advantage but the Aggies put together a 4-0 run to overtake the Stags and force a timeout. After Fairfield tied it 17-17 on a kill by Orr, the two teams would exchange a series of points once more. With scored knotted at 21-21, Romansky delivered an ace while Weaver followed with a kill for the two-point lead. After a kill by the Aggies' Orr briefly stopped the run, the Stags picked up the final two points for the 25-22 victory.

Much like the four previous sets, the deciding game was a see-saw battle early. With the score tied 6-6, Tumua Etimani put Utah State on top, 7-6, with a kill while Orr made it a two-point lead with an ace. The Aggies tacked on three more unanswered points for an 11-6 lead. Fairfield was unable to recover falling 15-7.

Etimani and Orr both had double-doubles for Utah State. Etimani finished with 15 kills and 17 digs while Orr had a match-high 19 kills to go along with 14 digs.

Fairfield (0-3) returns home on September 5 to host the University of Missouri at 6:30pm in Alumni Hall. The Stags then travel to the Boston College Invitational, September 7-8, where they will face Hampton University, the host Eagles, and Bryant University.