Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield volleyball team took the final two sets from visiting Boston College to complete a five-set win over the ACC squad on Friday evening at the Fairfield Invitational. Earlier in the day, the Stags claimed a four-set decision over Holy Cross.
Fairfield (3-2) earned the win over a Boston College team that came into the contest at 4-0 with victories over South Alabama, Providence, Sacred Heart and – earlier in the day – Stony Brook. Holy Cross fell to 0-4 for the fall after the Stags' 3-1 triumph.
Fairfield 3, Holy Cross 1 (26-28, 25-22, 29-27, 25-20)
In the opening match of the day, the Stags took a four-set win over Holy Cross behind double-double performances from outside hitters Megan Theiller and Skyler Day. Theiller, the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year – had a match-high 17 kills and posted 11 digs. Day sent home 15 finishers and shared the match best in digs with 16 from the back row.
In total, four Stags reached double figures in kills as Oyinkansola Akinola and Megan O'Sullivan finished with 11 and 10, respectively. Setter Kiley Lingenfelter ran the Stags' attack to the tune of a .116 hitting percentage. The freshman handed out a match-leading 40 assists.
In the back row, a pair of rookies shared libero duties as Taylor Rudeen picked up 14 digs and Mallory Bechtold added 13. At the net, O'Sullivan had a hand in five of the Stags' 10 team blocks. Sydney Williams was a part of four send-backs and Day had a hand in three rejections.
Holy Cross was led by double-doubles from Mandy Sifferlen (15 kills, 10 digs) and Lynsey Petersen (12 kills, 14 digs). Caroline Wells and Katie McKernan shared the setting responsibilities and handed out 19 and 15 assists, respectively. The Crusaders hit .101 and posted 13 team blocks.
Fairfield 3, Boston College 2 (18-25, 25-22, 14-25, 25-19, 15-8)
The Stags also closed the action on Friday, hosting the Eagles in the nightcap of the four-match day. Megan Theiller registered another double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs, including four in the deciding fifth frame. Skyler Day added 13 kills as the only other Stag in double figures.
The balanced attack was supplemented by nine Sydney Williams kills, five from Megan O'Sullivan, four from Kaitlyn Fisher, three from Kiley Lingenfelter and two by Oyinkansola Akinola.
Lingenfelter also doubled out 15 assists, while Sydney Buckley distributed 26 helpers. The duo guided Fairfield to a .149 hitting percentage, bolstered by a scorching .400 clip (13-3-25) in the must-win fourth set and a solid .263 (8-3-19) showing to close out the match in the fifth.
Defensively, Bechtold had a team-best 13 digs. In addition to Theiller's 11, Lingenfelter had nine and Day chipped in with six. Akinsola and Williams were each a part of four of Fairfield's eight blocks.
Boston College's Katty Workman had a match-high 17 kills, and Sol Calvete added a double-double consisting of 12 kills and 10 digs. Mallori Moffat led all players with 41 assists, and Madisen Lydon paced the back row with 24 digs.
The Stags look to complete the weekend sweep at their home tournament tomorrow night – Saturday, Sept. 5 – at 8 p.m. Fairfield will host defending America East Champion New Hampshire in the ninth and final match of the event. The Wildcats, who will meet Holy Cross at 10 a.m. tomorrow to start the day, improved to 3-2 with a 3-1 win over Marshall this afternoon.
