FAIRFIELD, Conn. – In a match featuring 43 ties and 22 lead changes, Fairfield University Volleyball was edged by visiting Sacred Heart, 3-1, on Wednesday evening in non-conference action on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall. Julia Kallen and Alexis Rich each posted double-doubles to lead the Stags.
 
With the loss in their home opener, Fairfield slips to 1-3 on the young 2018 campaign. Sacred Heart improves to 2-1 after taking the contest by set scores of 32-30, 30-28, 26-28 and 25-16.
 
The two sides were nearly identical in the major statistical categories, ultimately landing with 68 points apiece. The Pioneers held the edge in kills (55-54) and aces (4-3) with the Stags owning an 11-9 advantage in blocks. The teams also each recorded 77 digs.
 
The match played out as tightly on the court as it did in the box score with both teams serving for set point at various junctures in each of the first three frames.
 
Individually, Kallen's 13 kills set the pace for the Fairfield attack, with Garcia adding 12. Laura Seeger slammed home nine finishers, with Luci Albertson and Sydney Williams contributing in the middle with seven and six kills, respectively. To round out the offense, Emily Schillinger and Kaylie Butts landed three kills apiece and Kaitlyn Fisher recorded one. The attack was run through Rich, who distributed a match-leading 46 assists.
 
Kallen also scored two points in the serving game with a pair of aces, while Taylor Rudeen landed one winner.
 
On the defensive end, Rudeen registered 27 digs to helm the effort in the back row. Her total marked the most for a Stag in four sets or fewer since Rudeen – then a rookie libero – had 28 digs in the 2015 MAAC Championship Match win over Marist.
 
Kallen's 14 digs completed her first career double-double and Rich picked up 11 digs to cap her second consecutive double-dip.
 
At the net, Albertson had six blocks – including two solo efforts – with Seeger and Williams each having a hand in four Fairfield send-backs.
 
Today's match started a string of six straight matches in Connecticut for the Stags to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule. Fairfield will travel to New Haven to challenge perennial Ivy League contender Yale on Friday at 7 p.m. then challenges Hartford (at Quinnipiac) on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Action returns to Alumni Hall the following weekend for the Fairfield Invitational on Sept. 7-8. The Stags will meet Michigan State, Harvard and Northeastern as a part of the eight-match, five-team tournament.