FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The team-best eighth double-double of the season for Megan Theiller highlighted the day for the Fairfield University volleyball team, as the Stags swept visiting Canisius to post their eighth consecutive victory. Fairfield won the match on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall by set scores of 25-13, 25-12 and 25-19.
The 3-0 victory, coupled with Quinnpiac's home loss to Niagara, puts the Stags alone atop the MAAC standings at 7-0. Fairfield improves to 14-5 overall this season and has won 15 consecutive MAAC regular season matches dating back to last fall. Canisius falls to 3-12 on the year with a 1-5 MAAC tally.
Theiller's double-double consisted of a match-leading 18 kills along with 11 digs. She hit .417 on the outside, fueling the team to a .317 attack percentage. The showing was Fairfield's second straight contest with a hitting percentage above .300 and the fourth time overall this season that the Stags have topped that mark.
Skyler Day added eight kills in two sets of action, and Megan O'Sullivan posted seven from the middle. Sydney Williams notched five finishers, with Kaitlyn Fisher, Mayda Garcia and Sonja Radulovic each recording a pair. Manuela Nicolini completed the attack with one kill from the setter spot. Nicolini shared setting duties with Sydney Buckley, as the duo each recorded 19 assists.
Defensively, Mallory Bechtold led all players with 19 digs, as Day and Radulovic each chipped in five from the back row. At the net, Williams was a part of four blocks, and Radulovic got a piece of three send-backs. Fairfield totaled six rejections in the match as the defensive effort stymied the Canisius attack to the tune of a .000 hitting percentage.
Fairfield rounded out its scoring with four points from behind the service line. Bechtold, Buckley, Theiller and Taylor Rudeen each delivered one ace for the Stags.
Canisius was led by six kills from Jacklyn Malusa and four off the swing of Sara Wesley. The Golden Griffins' offense was run through Cassidy Ceriani, who delivered 14 assists, and Gabrielle Daranby had a team-leading 11 digs.
This week, Fairfield begins a three-match road swing with a Wednesday trip to Siena. The Saints were swept at Iona this afternoon to fall to 4-12 overall and 3-3 the MAAC. The Stags will also visit Quinnipiac on Saturday, Oct. 8 and crosstown foe Sacred Heart on Wednesday, Oct. 12 before returning to Alumni Hall to host Siena and Marist on Oct. 15-16.
