FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Led by 19 kills from Skyler Day, the Fairfield University volleyball team rolled to its seventh consecutive victory with a 3-0 sweep of Niagara on Saturday afternoon on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall. The Stags also remain unbeaten at 6-0 in the MAAC with a win by scores of 25-10, 25-16 and 25-16.
Fairfield (13-5, 6-0 MAAC) picks up a win in the 1,000th match in the program's varsity history dating back to 1985. Niagara, which was coming off a 2-0 home weekend against Saint Peter's and Rider, drops to 4-13 on the season with a 2-3 MAAC tally.
“Our defensive intensity was better today, particularly at the net, and that was the difference in the match,” said Head Coach Todd Kress.
Fairfield racked up eight blocks, guided by five from Megan O'Sullivan – including a pair of solo rejections. Manuela Nicolini got a piece of three send-backs, while Day and Sydney Williams each had a hand in two blocks.
On the offensive end, Day's 19 kills were one off her career high and represent the most kills in a sweep for a Stag since Marilyn Peizer's 19 finishers in a straight set win over Quinnipiac on Oct. 26, 2013. She hit a scorching .412 on the outside (19-5-34). Megan Theiller joined her in double figures with 10 kills on .375 hitting (10-1-24). Williams added four kills on seven errorless swings as the trio steered the Stags to a .352 team hitting percentage.
Rounding out the Fairfield attack were Kailyn Fisher with five kills, O'Sullivan with three, and Nicolini with a pair of finishers. The offense was run primarily through Sydney Buckley, who led all players with 25 assists. Nicolini chipped in four assists, and Mallory Bechtold dished out a career-best eight helpers from the libero spot.
Bechtold also helmed the effort in the back row with 15 digs. Buckley added eight digs, Taylor Rudeen and Day each had seven, and Theiller and O'Sullivan posted five apiece. Coupled with their work at the net, the Stags limited Niagara to a .037 attack percentage.
The Stags also notched four points from their serving game as Day and Bechtold each dropped in a pair of aces.
Nicole Matheis had a team-leading seven kills for Niagara, which also got four finishers apiece off the swings of Alex Stone, Caroline Leitch and Madison May. Alexis Gray distributed 11 assists for the Purple Eagles, and Rylee Hunt had a team-best 12 digs.
The Stags will remain home at Alumni Hall tomorrow, capping the weekend with a 1 p.m. visit from Canisius. The Golden Griffins were swept at Quinnipiac this afternoon to fall to 3-11 overall and 1-4 in the MAAC.
