FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Seniors Katie Cizynski and Alexys Vazquez each scored in double figures to help the Fairfield University women's basketball team to a 60-50 victory over Monmouth University this evening at Alumni Hall. The Stags improve to 9-4 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and to 14-8 overall.

Cizynski posted a game-high 19 points, going 8-for-16 from the floor. She moved one step closer to her 1,000th career point as she now has 984, needing just 16 points to reach the milestone. Vazquez posted 15 points, all of which came by way of three-pointers, and five rebounds.

Monmouth (6-18; 5-8 MAAC) opened the game with a 13-4 run. Fairfield chipped away, pulling within 14-11 at 11:42 on a basket by Cizynski. A pair of Cizynski free throws at 10:35 made it a one-point game. Just 29 seconds later Kristine Miller found Cizynski under the hoop to give Fairfield the 15-14 advantage. Senior Christelle Akon-Akech capped off the 13-1 run with a lay-up at 9:40 to make it 17-14.

With the score tied 19-19, Brittany Obi-Tabot tucked in an offensive board and was fouled on the play. She converted the free throw to put the Stags ahead by three. Fairfield quickly pushed its lead to 26-19 with 3:15 remaining after a jumper by Akon-Akech. A 13-2 run by the Stags to close the half sent them into the break with a 32-21 lead.

In the second half, Monmouth pulled within 37-31 at the 15:53 mark but Fairfield answered with a 13-4 run over the next five minutes to open up a 15-point gap.

The Hawks made a comeback late in the half, cutting it to 53-45 on a lay-up by Chevannah Paalvast with 3:23 left. A minute later, a lay-up by Sara English made it 53-47. Cizynski came through in the clutch by successfully converting a free throw after being fouled on a made basket at 1:44 to return the lead to nine points, 56-47. The Stags went on to the 60-50 win.

Obi-Tabot just missed a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds and nine points. Akon-Akech tallied eight points and a season-high six rebounds. For Monmouth, Paalvast tallied 19 points and five rebounds while Jasmine Walker had 10 points. English finished with eight rebounds and six points.

Fairfield returns to action on February 8 when it heads to Marist College for a 7pm start.