Box Score

HAMDEN, Conn. - The defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Champion Fairfield University volleyball team, opened league play with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 22-25, 25-16) victory at Quinnipiac University this afternoon at Burt Kahn Court.

Red-shirt senior Carsen Mata recorded her second collegiate double-double finishing with 12 digs and a career-high 41 assists. Mata also posted two total blocks, a career-best. Sophomore Hadley Orr notched a career-high 12 kills and four total blocks while senior Hayley Moyer tallied a season-best 10 kills on .400 hitting.

Freshman Megan O'Sullivan had seven total blocks, a career-high, with five kills. Juniors Caitlin Stapleton and Marilyn Peizer chipped in with nine kills apiece. Stapleton added five total blocks, bringing her career total to 175, while Peizer added eight digs and two total blocks.

Freshman Bella Guanciale notched a career-high 18 digs to go along with an ace and two assists. Camille Coffey added eight digs.

Fairfield (3-8; 1-0 MAAC) dominated the first set, hitting .400 with 13 kills while holding Quinnipiac to a .088 attack percentage. The Stags had opened up an 18-9 lead but the Bobcats chipped away eventually pulling within 18-17. Fairfield staved off Quinnipiac and closed the set on a 7-1 run for the 25-18 win.

The second set was a bit closer with eight ties and three lead changes. The Stags were trailing 18-17 when Stapleton tied it up with a kill. Stapleton then teamed with O'Sullivan for a block to put Fairfield ahead and followed with another kill to make the score 20-18. After a Bobcats timeout, Stapleton put down another kill to extend the Fairfield lead to three points. That was all the momentum the Stags needed as they pulled out a 25-21 win.

Quinnipiac (2-10; 0-1 MAAC) never trailed in the third set. The Bobcats took their largest lead of the day, 21-15, on a kill by Chandler Thornton. Moyer followed with a kill of her own to jumpstart a 5-0 run by the Stags. Fairfield made it 23-22 late but the Bobcats hung on for the win.

Fairfield regrouped in the fourth set, jumping out to an 11-2 lead. The Stags never looked back as they cruised to a 25-16 win.

The victory was the 97th career win for Head Coach Alija Pittenger. In her sixth season as a head coach, Pittenger has a 97-72 overall record and a 74-17 record in MAAC play.

The Stags will return home to Alumni Hall on September 25 to host Siena at 7pm in a rematch of the 2012 MAAC Championship final. Fairfield then stops at Manhattan on September 28 and Iona on September 29.