FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University volleyball team begins the stretch run of the MAAC schedule this weekend as Rider and Saint Peter's come to Alumni Hall for a pair of conference clashes. The Stags welcome the Broncs to George Bisacca Court on Saturday, Oct. 29 and host the Peacocks on Sunday, Oct. 30. First serve in both outings is slated for 1 p.m.
After road victories at Iona and Manhattan this past weekend, Fairfield (20-5, 13-0 MAAC) is riding a 14-match winning streak – the third-longest active streak in the nation. The Stags' 24 consecutive wins over MAAC opponents (including postseason) represent Division I's fifth-longest active stretch against conference foes. In addition, Fairfield's 3-1 victory at Manhattan on Sunday locked up the 14th 20-win season in program history and the fifth in seven campaigns led by Head Coach Todd Kress.
With one more conference win, the Stags would clinch at least a share of the MAAC Regular Season Championship. Fairfield can claim the outright regular season crown with victories over both the visiting Broncs and Peacocks this weekend.
Statistically, Fairfield leads the MAAC in kills per set (14.10), hitting percentage (.246), assists per set (13.31), digs per set (15.45) and opponent hitting percentage (.151). The Stags also slot third in the conference in blocks per frame (1.92).
Individually, Skyler Day leads the MAAC and ranks 32nd in the nation with 4.22 kills per set. The 2015 First Team All-MAAC selection and 2016 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year earned back-to-back Player of the Week honors on Oct. 4 and Oct. 11. Day was supplanted as Player of the Week by Megan Theiller, who has won the honor in each of the last two weeks of action. Theiller is second in the conference behind Day with 4.02 kills per set (49th nationally) and ranks seventh in the MAAC with a .276 attack percentage.
Megan O'Sullivan also appears on the MAAC individual leaderboards, ranking fifth in the league with a .306 attack percentage and third at the net with 0.99 blocks per stanza. Also on the defensive end, libero Mallory Bechtold rates third in the conference with 4.63 digs per frame.
This weekend's pair of matches at Alumni Hall will conclude the annual home-and-home series with Rider and Saint Peter's. The Stags took a 3-1 win at Rider last month, led by 20 kills from Day on .346 hitting and 11 finishers by Kaitlyn Fisher, who swung at a .526 clip. In September's sweep at Saint Peter's, Theiller recorded a double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs.
Following the home weekend, Fairfield embarks on the longest road trip of the MAAC campaign with a visit to Western New York. The Stags challenge Canisius and Niagara on Nov. 5-6 to kick off the regular season's final month after opening October with home sweeps of the Golden Griffins and Purple Eagles. Fairfield returns to George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall the next weekend to conclude the regular season against in-state conference foe Quinnipiac on Nov. 12.
