FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University volleyball team continues its trek through the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this weekend with visits to Iona and Manhattan. The first-place Stags are unbeaten in MAAC play at 11-0 and have won 12 consecutive matches to bolster their overall record to 18-5.
The Stags swept Siena and Marist last weekend to preserve both their winning streak and unblemished MAAC record. Fairfield's 12-game run is one six active winning streaks in the nation of at least a dozen matches. The Stags have put together eight winning streaks of 12 or more matches in program history, including a run last fall that stretched through the 2015 MAAC Championship.
In addition, the Stags' 22 consecutive victories over MAAC competition (including postseason) also represent the sixth-longest active winning streak by a team against its conference foes in all of NCAA Division I.
After besting the Saints and Red Foxes last weekend, Megan Theiller and Manuela Nicolini were lauded by the MAAC as its Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively. Theiller led the Fairfield attack with 4.67 kills per set on .426 hitting from the outside. She added 2.00 digs per frame and two blocks to the defensive effort. Nicolini helped pilot the Fairfield offense and aided the defensive effort; she averaged 7.17 assists per frame and guided the Stags to a .316 team attack percentage while adding three kills of her own. Nicolini also posted 1.67 blocks and 1.33 digs per frame.
This weekend, Fairfield looks to complete the season sweep of Iona and Manhattan and downing both squads in straight sets last month at Alumni Hall. The Gaels most recently split a road weekend at Saint Peter's and Rider to move to 4-18 overall and 2-7 in the MAAC. Manhattan has recorded back-to-back wins over Saint Peter's and won three of its last outings to improve to 8-17 on the year with a 4-7 MAAC tally.
The Stags enter the road weekend with a two-match lead atop the MAAC standings. Quinnipiac, which also visits Iona and Manhattan this weekend, holds the second-place spot in the standings at 8-2 (16-7 overall). Fairfield hosts the Bobcats on Senior Day at Alumni Hall on Nov. 12. Marist (7-13, 7-3 MAAC) holds a slight edge over Niagara (8-13, 6-3 MAAC) to round out the top portion of the conference ledger. The Stags defeated Marist in both ends of the home-and-home series and will visit Niagara on Nov. 6 after sweeping the Purple Eagles at home on Oct. 1.
Next week, action returns to Alumni Hall as the Stags host Saint Peter's and Rider on Oct. 29-30. First serve in both matches against the MAAC's New Jersey contingent is slated for 1 p.m.
Fairfield is one MAAC win shy of officially clinching its 21st consecutive MAAC Championship appearance. The 2016 conference crown will be decided on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall on Nov. 18-20.
