FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball will celebrate its three seniors – Sydney Buckley, Skyler Day and Megan Theiller – on Sunday afternoon to highlight a weekend of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall. The Stags will host Niagara on Saturday before challenging Canisius on Senior Day this Sunday. First serve for both matches is slated for 1 p.m. will all of the action set to broadcast live on the Stags Sports Network.
 
Buckley and Theiller are both four-year members of the Stags, where they have been a part of 89 victories to date, including a 61-9 MAAC record. Day joined the Stags in 2015, and all three seniors have been integral in a stretch in which Fairfield has earned three MAAC Regular Season Championship, two MAAC Championships and two NCAA postseason berths.
 
"I don't know how to summarize what these seniors have meant to Fairfield Volleyball," said Head Coach Todd Kress. "This program has had great tradition over the years, and they have built upon that while also establishing their own legacy. They have meant so much to me and to our team, and not just from a volleyball standpoint but from what they do in the classroom and in the community. They are high-character individuals who hold themselves and everybody associated with our program to the highest of standards."
 
As far as the action on George Bisacca Court, the Stags will entered the final weekend of the regular season locked into the top seed in the upcoming MAAC Championship. After clinching the 2017 crown, Fairfield (21-6, 16-0 MAAC) has now won the MAAC Regular Season Championship in three consecutive campaigns and 17 of the past 22 seasons.
 
"We understand that this weekend's matches don't mean as much as they potentially could have from a tournament seeding standpoint, but the way we operate as a program is to treat every match and every opponent the same," Kress said. "So we will certainly continue to do that this weekend. We'll prepare the way always do and we'll be ready to go."
 
"We realize that we're still not operating at 100 percent," Kress continued. "Our offense is just a step off here and there, and the more competitive reps that we can get, the better off we're going to be heading into the postseason."
 
Fairfield vs. Niagara
Saturday, Nov. 11 @ 1 p.m.
George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall
Stags Sports Network | Live Stats
 
Niagara also enters the final weekend locked into a MAAC postseason seed. The Purple Eagles will be the second-seeded club in the tournament on the heels of a 13-3 MAAC record as a part of 17-8 overall tally. Niagara most recently defeated Marist, 3-1, to clinch that postseason slot and run its winning streak to four consecutive matches.
 
The Purple Eagles' attack is led by Nicole Matheis, who slots eighth in the conference with 2.78 kills per set. In the middle, Draik Banks is the most efficient hitter in the MAAC with a .304 attack percentage en route to 1.76 kills per frame. The offense has been guided by the trio of Rachel Hall, Meghan Higley and Alexis Gray to a .173 hitting percentage.
 
The hallmark of Niagara is defense, headlined by two-time MAAC Libero of the Year Rylee Hunt. Hunt currently ranks third in the nation with a conference-leading 6.14 digs per set, while Matheis and Jaycie Roberts add 2.91 and 2.86 digs per stanza, respectively. At the net, Banks has had a hand in a team-best 93 blocks.
 
Fairfield vs. Canisius – Senior Day
Sunday, Nov. 12 @ 1 p.m.
George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall
Stags Sports Network | Live Stats
 
Canisius will enter the weekend as one of four teams vying for three remaining berths in the MAAC Championship. Before coming to Alumni Hall, the Golden Griffins (10-16, 8-8 MAAC) will play at Quinnipiac (9-20, 8-8 MAAC) on Saturday in what could essentially serve as an elimination match. Canisius was most recently swept in a road weekend at Marist and Siena to snap a three-match winning streak.
 
Sara Wesley leads the Canisius attack with 2.57 kills per set – 10th in the MAAC – at a .296 clip that ranks third in the conference. Claire Leonard is the club's most prolific hitter on the outside, slotting fourth in the MAAC with 3.19 kills per frame. Cassidy Ceriani ranks third in the MAAC with 9.12 assists per set, piloting the offense to a .172 hitting percentage. Ceriani is also among the MAAC leaders with 40 service aces.
 
On the defensive end, Sofia Lopez Acosta posts 4.24 digs per set from the libero spot to rank fourth in the conference. Leah Simmons and Wesley lead the effort at the net with 72 and 69 blocks, respectively.
 
Up Next
Fairfield will host the 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship at Alumni Hall from Nov. 17-19. As the top seed in the tournament, the Stags will begin their postseason in the semifinal round on Nov. 18.