NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Fairfield University volleyball team swept host Iona on Saturday afternoon to roll off its 13th consecutive victory. The Stags improve to 12-0 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play with the win, which came by scores of 25-18, 25-20 and 26-24.
The Stags' 13-match winning streak is the fifth-longest in program history and the longest run since the 2006 squad won 20 straight contests. At 12-0 in the MAAC, Fairfield also officially locked up a berth in the MAAC Championship for the 21st consecutive season. This year's tournament will be hosted by the Stags on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall from Nov. 18-20.
In today's contest, Megan O'Sullivan powered the Fairfield attack from the middle with 11 kills on .611 hitting (11-0-18). On the outside, Megan Theiller and Skyler Day each recorded a double-double in the straight-set win. Theiller had 14 kills and 12 digs for the Stags, while Day led all players with 15 finishers to go along with 11 digs. The duo entered the day as the MAAC's two most prolific hitters. Kaitlyn Fisher added four kills from the right side, with Mayda Garcia and Mallory Bechtold each picking up one.
The Stags hit .233 for the match, guided by setters Manuela Nicolini and Sydney Buckley. Nicolini – the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week – doled out a match-high 22 assists while landing two kills of her own, and Buckley distributed 21 assists.
In the back row, Bechtold picked up 16 digs from the libero spot with Theiller and Day adding their double-digit totals. The balanced defensive effort also featured Buckley, Garcia, Nicolini and Taylor Rudeen registering four digs apiece. At the net, Fisher, Garcia, O'Sullivan and Theiller each had a hand in one of the Stags' two total blocks.
Fairfield also scored four points from behind the service line. Theiller landed a pair of aces, while Bechtold and Garcia each served up one winner.
Iona (4-20, 2-9 MAAC) was led by eight kills apiece from Claire Archibald and Karly White. Emma Rosa handed out 21 assists and Kait Ferretti had 13 helpers to pilot an offense that swung at a .164 clip. Defensively, libero Jessica Paolucci posted a match-leading 21 assists.
The Stags conclude their New York weekend tomorrow with a 1 p.m. match at Manhattan. The Jaspers earned a 3-2 victory over Quinnipiac this afternoon to move to 9-17 overall and 5-7 in the MAAC. Fairfield swept Manhattan at Alumni Hall in the season's first meeting on Sept. 24.
