Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University volleyball team got 14 kills apiece from Skyler Day, Megan O'Sullivan and Megan Theiller en route to a four-set win over visiting Niagara on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Hall. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory extends the Stags' winning streak to a season-long stretch of four matches.
Fairfield (13-9, 8-4 MAAC) also improved to 7-2 at Alumni Hall this season after clipping the Purple Eagles by set scores of 24-26, 26-24, 25-22 and 25-15.
Day's 14 kills were a part of her team-leading 10th double-double of the fall. The sophomore added 12 digs in the Fairfield back row and also served up an ace. Also on the outside, Theiller complemented her 14 kills with seven digs, a block and a service ace.
In the middle, O'Sullivan's 14 kills came one day after setting a new career high with 15 finishers in the sweep of Canisius. She also contributed six digs, two service aces and one block.
Oyinkansola Akinola and Kaitlyn Fisher supplemented the Stags' attack with five kills apiece. Chanel Cooper provided a spark off the bench with two kills in the pivotal third set.
The offense was run through the combination of Sydney Buckley and Kiley Lingenfelter, who distributed 34 and 15 assists, respectively. Each setter also landed one kill while piloting Fairfield to a .204 hitting percentage. Lingenfelter notched nine digs, falling just shy of a double-double, and Buckley was a part of two Fairfield blocks.
Taylor Rudeen and Mallory Bechtold helmed the back row with 24 digs apiece. Rudeen also dropped in two service aces, and Bechtold served up one winner. At the net, Akinola had a hand in five of the Stags' six blocks. All told, the Fairfield defensive effort limited Niagara to a .131 hitting percentage.
That was a gut check win today that could have gone either way,” said Head Coach Todd Kress. “I give a lot of credit to Niagara and their defensive intensity and relentless pursuit. After two back and forth sets to begin the match, I thought we did a much better job of dictating play the last two sets. We provided pressure from the end line and in transition. We received steady play from Megan and Megan and big contributions off the bench from Bech, Kiley and Coop. Kiley made some great decisions when she was in to open up our transition game.”
The Purple Eagles (10-14, 7-7 MAAC) were led by 17 kills from Melissa McGwin, who was also a part of five blocks. Rayenne Hale added a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Alexis Gray notched a double-double of her own from the setter spot with 35 digs and 18 assists, and libero Rylee Hunt led all players with 29 digs.
The Stags wrap up their four-match homestand on Wednesday, Nov. 4 with a visit from Marist. The Red Foxes, who won a five-set contest at Manhattan today, are also riding a four-match winning streak en route to a 17-8 overall record and 10-4 MAAC tally. Fairfield won the first meeting between the two clubs, 3-2, in Poughkeepsie on Oct. 11.
“With the conference race tightening up, we understand that you're only as good as your next match,” commented Kress. “We need to regroup quickly and prepare for Marist on Wednesday night.”
