FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball picked up a pair of 3-1 victories today to cap an unbeaten weekend and win the Sacred Heart Invitational. The Stags hosted and defeated NJIT this morning on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall, then headed across town in the afternoon to knock off the host Pioneers.
 
The Stags, who also took a 3-1 decision over visiting Northeastern yesterday, improve to 5-4 after their unbeaten weekend. Sacred Heart falls to 4-5.
 
Joelle Battles was named the Most Valuable Player of the Sacred Heart Invitational. The rookie right-side hitter had 19 kills against both Northeastern and Sacred Heart to average 4.75 finishers per frame on .462 hitting. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Luci Albertson and Manuela Nicolini.
 
Up next, Fairfield begins the MAAC portion of the 2019 slate with a Friday evening with to Marist.
 
Stags 3, NJIT 1 (25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 25-16)
Box Score
 
The Stags were led in the morning's action at Alumni Hall by a career-high 19 kills from Sonja Radulovic. The senior was one of the three Stags to reach double figures, as Julia Kallen posted 12 kills and Kaylie Butts sent home 11 finishers from the middle on .429 hitting. Luci Albertson added eight kills from the middle, with one apiece coming from Nya Jones, Manuela Nicolini and Alexis Rich to round out the attack.
 
Nicolini ran the offense for three sets and finished with 36 assists and eight digs. Rich handed out nine assists with one dig and one block assist in her single frame of action. The duo guided Fairfield to a .243 hitting percentage for the match.
 
Defensively, Morgan Doll donned the libero jersey this morning and recorded a career-high 19 digs. Kallen also set a new personal standard with 15 digs to post her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her Fairfield career. Radulovic also notched a double-double with 13 digs of her own.
 
At the net, Jones was a part of a team-best four blocks, with Radulovic and Butts each getting a hand on two send-backs. Fairfield amassed five total blocks as a team, helping to limit NJIT to a .167 hitting percentage.
 
To cap the scoring, Doll served up a career-high three service aces, while Jamie Calandro had her second three-ace day of 2019. Radulovic also landed one her to push her total to 21 points.
 
The Highlanders were led by 12 kills from Madi Busler and 11 finishers on 22 errorless swings by Courtney Branch. Juliana Impaglia and Liz Benson shared setting duties and finished with 21 and 18 assists, respectively. Olivia Welsch led the back row from the libero spot with 14 digs.
 
Stags 3, Sacred Heart 1 (15-25, 25-21, 27-25, 25-19)
Box Score
 
With both the Stags and Pioneers defeating Northeastern and NJIT earlier in the weekend, Saturday evening's clash at the Pitt Center was the de facto "Championship Match" of the tournament.
 
Battles rose to the occasion by matching her career high (set the previous night) with 19 kills on .350 hitting. Laura Seeger added 15 kills and Julia Kallen posted 11. In the middle, Kaylie Butts and Luci Albertson posted six and five finishers, respectively. Rounding out the attack were Mayda Garcia with three kills and Manuela Nicolini with two.
 
Nicolini doled out 46 assists and ran the Fairfield offense to a .244 hitting percentage. The Stags' setter also led the back row with 17 digs to record her sixth double-double of the season. Jamie Calandro reached a career high with 16 digs, and Garcia added 15. Morgan Doll was the fourth Stag to attain double figures with 12 digs.
 
Kallen fell just shy of a double-double with nine digs on her tally tonight and also led the effort at the net defensively, notching a career-best six blocks. Butts was also a part of six of the Stags' 10 rejections, and Albertson got a hand on three. She also set a new personal-best with eight digs from the middle.
 
Sacred Heart was led by a double-double from Jasmine Rogers with 12 kills and a match-high 19 digs. Sarah Ciszek flirted with a triple-double for the Pioneers, posting nine kills, 39 assists and 16 digs.