FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University volleyball team opened a weekend homestand of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action with a 3-0 victory over Manhattan on Saturday afternoon on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall. The Stags reeled off their fourth straight victory to improve to 10-5 overall and stay unbeaten at 3-0 in MAAC action.
Fairfield hit .383 in the contest, including an overpowering .469 performance in the third set to conclude the sweep. The Stags won the match by set scores of 25-20, 25-15 and 25-15.
Leading the attack was the outside hitting duo of Megan Theiller and Skyler Day with 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Theiller hit .333 with seven digs and two blocks, while Day added four digs to her offensive output. The pair entered the day holding the top two spots in the MAAC in kills per set.
Kaitlyn Fisher – the reigning MAAC Player of the Week – continued her strong play with seven kills on .545 hitting, and Sydney Williams added five kills on nine errorless swings to turn in a .556 clip. Megan O'Sullivan rounded out the offense with six kills from the middle.
The Stags' attack was engineered via 24 assists from Manuela Nicolini and 17 from the hands of Sydney Buckley. Each setter also chipped in one kill of her own.
The defensive effort was helmed by Taylor Rudeen with 12 digs from the libero spot. Buckley added six from the back row, and Mallory Bechtold chipped in with five. At the net, the trio of Fisher, O'Sullivan and Williams each got a hand on two blocks apiece. The Stags totaled five blocks on the day as the defense limited Manhattan to a .180 hitting percentage.
Fairfield also scored a season-high seven points from the serving game. Bechtold landed a pair of service aces, with Theiller, Day, O'Sullivan, Buckley and Rudeen each delivering one winner from behind the line.
The Jaspers (4-11, 1-1 MAAC) were led by seven kills from Olyvia Chaltas and six off the swing of Sandra Lozanova. Zoe Lindsey doled out 23 assists for the visitors, and Allie Yamashiro led all players with 14 digs from the Manhattan back row.
Fairfield wraps up the weekend tomorrow with a 1 p.m. visit from MAAC foe Iona. The Gaels began their trip to the Nutmeg State this afternoon with a 3-0 loss at Quinnipiac to fall to 1-13 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
