FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University will bring an eight-match winning streak and an unblemished MAAC record to the Garden State this weekend. The Stags (10-4, 5-0 MAAC) will challenge the conference's New Jersey contingent on Oct. 12-13 with trips to Saint Peter's and Rider.
The Stags most recently ran through a three-match MAAC homestand, topping Quinnipiac, Manhattan and Iona to extend their winning streak to eight matches. At 5-0 in the conference, Fairfield currently shares first place with Canisius (8-9, 5-0 MAAC) as the MAAC's two remaining unbeaten squads.
Entering this weekend, Fairfield's balanced attack tops the MAAC with a .209 team hitting percentage. The effort has been led by three Stags among the conference's individual leaders.
Luci Albertson slots second in the MAAC with a .323 hitting percentage, with
Mayda Garcia sitting in seventh at .257 and
Joelle Battles slotted 10th at .249. Garcia is the only six-rotation outside hitter ranked among the MAAC leaders in efficiency.
Also on the offensive end,
Laura Seeger is the Stags' most prolific attacker with 2.91 kills per set to rank seventh in the MAAC. Battles is right behind her on the ledger at 2.90 kills per frame.
The offense has been engineered by
Manuela Nicolini, who is distributing the ball for a MAAC-leading 10.02 assists per frame.
Defensively, Fairfield leads the MAAC in blocks (2.09/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.168).
Kaylie Butts tops the conference with 1.04 blocks per set – 55 rejections in 53 frames – with Albertson ranked seventh at 0.90 blocks per set – 43 send-backs in 48 stanzas.
A group effort in the back row features five Stags averaging better than two digs per set, led by 3.28 from libero
Morgan Doll, 3.06 by Garcia and 2.90 for Nicolini.
Jamie Calandro and
Julia Kallen average 2.66 and 2.04 digs per set, respectively.
Stags at Saint Peter's
Saturday, Oct. 12 | Noon
Peacocks Digital Network |
Live Stats
Saint Peter's will open the weekend looking to snap a six-match losing streak. The Peacocks were most recently swept on the MAAC's Buffalo trip with 3-0 losses to Canisius and Niagara to fall to 3-14 on the season and 1-5 in the conference.
Alanis Alvarado and Angeleyshka Curbelo lead Saint Peter's with 2.92 and 2.63 kills per set, respectively. Wildalys Soto in the Peacocks' primary setter with 6.63 assists per frame. On the defensive side, Karla Seda is tops in the MAAC with 5.08 digs per stanza, and Stephanie Rivera has had a hand in 33 of Saint Peter's 73 team blocks.
Saint Peter's ranks 10th in the MAAC in hitting percentage at .115 and ninth in opponent hitting percentage at .235.
Fairfield's season sweep of the Peacocks last fall extended the Stags' winning streak over Saint Peter's to 16 consecutive victories and moved their lead in the series to 46-10 since 1985. Head Coach
Todd Kress is 16-1 all-time against Saint Peter's, including wins in both the 1997 and 1998 MAAC Championship Matches.
Stags at Rider
Sunday, Oct. 13 | 1 PM
ESPN+ |
Live Stats
Rider, which will host Quinnipiac on Saturday before challenging the Stags, starts the weekend at 6-12 overall and 3-3 in the MAAC. The Broncs are in the midst of the three-match skid with losses to Marist (3-2), Niagara (3-1) and Canisius (3-2).
A standout freshman campaign for Morgan Romano has fueled the Broncs in 2019. The only student-athlete to win MAAC Rookie of the Week this season – collecting the honor in six straight weeks – Romano leads the conference with 4.54 kills per set on .246 hitting on the outside. She adds 2.20 digs per frame and has had a hand in 40 blocks. Anilee Sher runs the Rider attack and slot second in the conference with 9.91 assists per set. Evelyn Shanefield is among the MAAC's best at the net with 0.92 blocks per frame, and Rachelle Runyon is second in the league in dig with 4.68 per stanza.
Rider is hitting .169 to rank sixth in the MAAC and ranks fourth defensively with opponents hitting .210 against them.
After splitting the season series in 2018, with each club winning on the road, Fairfield is 32-5 against Rider dating back to 1989. Kress is 11-2 on the Stags' sideline against the Broncs.
Up Next
Fairfield returns to George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall for two matches on Alumni and Family Weekend. The Stags will host Niagara on Friday and welcomes Canisius on Saturday for a potential clash of two unbeaten conference squads.
