FAIRFIELD, Conn. –  Entering as the league's top-ranked defense, the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team faced one of their toughest challenges of the early MAAC schedule, but were able to shut down Saint Peter's for a 67-48 victory at Alumni Hall. With the win, the Stags move to 3-0 in MAAC play for the second time in the last three seasons.
 
"Coming into the game we were concerned because they play five guards and give us matchup problems," Head Coach Joe Frager said. "I think our kids did a nice job with the scouting report, using our length in the zone to try and disrupt as much as possible. We also followed the game plan offensively as well too in terms of what we wanted to do."
 
The Stags' (6-6, 3-0 MAAC) stifling defense became apparent right from the start as the Stags limited Saint Peter's to just 15 first half points, as the Peacocks missed 18 of their first 20 shots. The Peacocks had entered play as the league's top-ranked offense at 76.2 points per game, but was held to just five points in the first quarter. It was the second-straight quarter where Fairfield held an opponent to just five points as they held Monmouth to that number on Thursday.
 
Fairfield needed only 12 seconds to get a lead they would not give up as Callie Cavanaugh hit the jumper on the team's first possession, the start of a 10-0 run for the Stags. Four out of the five starters accounted for the first five field goals of the game as Fairfield built a double-digit lead in just over four minutes.
 
On the defensive side, the Stags did not allow a Saint Peter's point until the 4:48 mark when their leading scorer Taiah Thornton swished through a 3-pointer. The Stags would score the final eight points of the quarter to grab an 18-5 advantage after 10 minutes.
 
That lead would be stretched to as many as 23 on three different occasions in the second quarter. Sam Kramer would end the half on a last second lay-up to give the Stags a 38-15 lead. The 15 points represented the fewest the Stags have allowed in any half this season.
 
Fairfield would keep a double-digit lead the rest of the way despite a late surge from the Peacocks that featured 22 third quarter points.
 
Saint Peter's was able to trim the lead to 15 with six minutes to play in the game, but the Stags would hit big buckets late in the game to keep the Peacocks away. A Kramer 3-point play capped off a 6-0 run that brought the lead back to 21.
 
Four Stags reached double figures led by Kramer's 18 point outburst. The guard went 3-for-4 from behind the arc to lead the team from long range. The Stags were also out-rebounded their second MAAC opponent as they hauled in 41 compared to 28 for the Peacocks. The big reason for that disparity came from the inside play from Armstrong who recorded her second career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Through three conference game, Armstrong is averaging 11.3 rebounds.
 
Lopez-Senechal also finished in double figures and also tied Rachel Hakes for the team lead with five assists.
 
Callie Cavanaugh added 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting and also drew a key charge during the Saint Peter's late surge, her team-leading eighth of the season.
 
It's the third-straight game the Stags have held an opponent under 50 points as MAAC opponents are scoring just 40.3 points in those contests.
 
The Stags will be looking for their first 4-0 conference start since the 2011-12 season when they Canisius to close out their three-game home stand on Thursday at 7pm.