POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Fairfield University volleyball team ran off its sixth consecutive victory, also improving to 5-0 in the MAAC, with a 3-1 win at Marist on Wednesday evening. The Stags were triumphant by set scores of 25-17, 25-21, 20-25 and 25-21 in their first meeting with the Red Foxes since the 2015 MAAC Championship Match.
With the win, Fairfield (12-5, 5-0 MAAC) hands Marist (3-11, 3-1 MAAC) its first conference loss of the fall. The Stags and in-state foe Quinnipiac (13-5, 5-0 MAAC) are the final two teams with unblemished conference records. Fairfield meets the Bobcats on Oct. 8 in Hamden and on Nov. 12 at Alumni Hall in the regular season finale.
In tonight's contest, Megan Theiller posted a double-double with 15 kills and 11 digs. Her foil on the outside, Skyler Day, led the Stags with 18 finishers and neared a double-double of her own nine digs. Theiller and Day entered the evening ranked atop the conference in kills and points per frame.
Sydney Williams added seven kills for Fairfield, with Kaitlyn Fisher chipping in six and Megan O'Sullivan posting five. As a unit, the Stags hit .223 for the match.
The offense was run through the setting duo of Sydney Buckley and Manuela Nicolini. Buckley dished out 35 assists in addition to seven digs, while Nicolini distributed 10 helpers and notched one kill of her own to round out the Fairfield attack.
Defensively, Mallory Bechtold led the way from the libero spot with 21 digs, and Taylor Rudeen added nine. The Stags totaled five blocks in the contest with Theiller and O'Sullivan each playing a part in three rejections. Fairfield's defensive effort limited the Red Foxes to a .144 hitting percentage.
The Stags also recorded four points from behind the service line as Theiller, Day, Buckley and Bechtold each landed an ace.
Marist was led by 20 kills from Megan Fergus, and 10 finishers off the swing of Kelsey Ediger. Taylor van der Biezen ran the offense to the tune of 34 assists, and Lexi Millington led all players with 27 digs.
This weekend, Fairfield brings its six-match winning streak back to George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall to host Niagara and Canisius on Oct. 1-2. First serve in both MAAC contests is slated for 1 p.m.
