BUFFALO, N.Y. – Megan Theiller recorded the 1,000th kill of her career as a part of a 15-kill, 14-dig performance as the Fairfield University volleyball team swept host Canisius on Saturday afternoon in Buffalo. The Stags' 17th consecutive win came by set scores of 25-18, 25-9 and 25-19.
Theiller is the 13th Stag to reach 1,000 career kills and the first since current Fairfield assistant coach Caitlin Stapleton in 2014. Theiller's total sits at 1,008 finishers after recording her team-leading 11th double-double in today's victory.
The Stags improve to 23-5 overall and 16-0 in the MAAC after extending the nation's second-longest active winning streak to 17 matches. Fairfield has already clinched the MAAC Regular Season Championship and the top seed in the upcoming MAAC Championship, which will be played at Alumni Hall from Nov. 18-20. The Stags have earned a bye to the semifinal round of the tournament and will take to George Bisacca Court on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.
In today's action, Skyler Day joined Theiller with a double-double in the sweep after posting a match-high 18 kills and picking up 16 digs. Day and Theiller entered the weekend leading the MAAC in kills and points per set. Supplementing the offense was Megan O'Sullivan with six kills on .417 hitting from the middle. Mayda Garcia sent home four finishers, and Kaitlyn Fisher had three.
The attack was run to a .292 hitting percentage by the setting duo of Sydney Buckley and Manuela Nicolini. Buckley handed out 21 assists with two kills of her own, and Nicolini distributed 18 assists and dumped over two kills.
Defensively, Mallory Bechtold led all players with a match-best 17 digs. In addition to Day and Theiller's double figure output in the back row, Fairfield also got five digs from Taylor Rudeen and four from Buckley. At the net, Garcia was a part of all three Stags' blocks, teaming up with Theiller, Fisher and Nicolini for one rejection apiece. The Fairfield defensive performance limited Canisius to a .094 hitting percentage.
For the second consecutive match, the Stags rounded out their scoring efforts with a season-best eight service aces. O'Sullivan served up three winners, with one ace apiece delivered by Theiller, Day, Garcia, Bechtold and Rudeen.
Canisius (6-18, 4-11 MAAC) was officially eliminated from MAAC postseason contention with the loss coupled with other results around the conference. The Golden Griffins were led in today's match by eight kills from Sara Wesley and seven from Katlyn Tyler. Cassidy Ceriani ran the offense to the tune of 17 assists and capped a double-double with a team-high 10 digs.
The Stags complete their swing through Western New York tomorrow with a visit to Niagara at 1 p.m. The Purple Eagles are 11-16 overall and 9-6 in the MAAC after a four-set win over Quinnipiac this afternoon.
