Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University volleyball team was clipped by visiting Rider, 3-1, at Alumni Hall on Sunday afternoon, despite double-doubles from Sydney Buckley and Skyler Day. Megan O'Sullivan and Oyinkansola Akinola each added 10 kills for the Stags.
Fairfield (6-8, 2-3 MAAC) had been riding a two-match winning streak during its current homestand. Rider (10-9, 6-0 MAAC) is the last MAAC team to hold an unblemished conference record. The Broncs were victorious by set scores of 25-20, 17-25, 25-21 and 25-16.
“We need to learn that a team can't average 14 errors per set and expect to win,” said Head Coach Todd Kress. “Everyone on this team has a job to do to make us better and, when that happens, we will see progress.”
Fairfield was led offensively by Day's 12 kills – her third-straight match with a double-digit output. Akinola was the Stags' most-efficient hitter at .562 (10-1-16), and O'Sullivan was solid in her return to the middle with .450 hitting percentage (10-1-20). Chanel Cooper added eight kills, and Kaitlyn Fisher sent home six.
Buckley and Kiley Lingenfelter ran the offense from the setter spot, distributing 24 and 22 assists, respectively. The Stags hit .184 as a unit in the four-set outing.
Defensively, Mallory Bechtold helmed the back row from the libero spot with 15 digs. Buckley and Day rounded out their double-doubles with 12 and 11 digs. At the net, O'Sullivan had a hand in all three of the Stags' blocks, teaming up with Day for two send-backs and Hadley Orr for the other.
Bechtold served up three aces for the Stags, and Lingenfelter landed one winner.
For the Broncs, Jennifer Borio had a team-best 11 kills. Brandie Hill doled out 23 assists and completed a double-double with 10 digs. The back row was led by 15 digs from Emma Aldaya.
The Stags will now begin a five-match road swing through the MAAC. Fairfield will play four straight outings in New York (Siena, Marist, Manhattan, Iona) to complete the first half of conference action, then begin its second round of MAAC contests with a visit to Quinnipiac.
“The week ahead presents another great opportunity for us, and will be better in the upcoming weekend than we were today,” added Kress.
Fairfield's next home outing is the regular season's final non-conference contest as crosstown rival Sacred Heart comes to Alumni Hall on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.
