FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team gave the nearly 2,000 local school children plenty to cheer for as the Stags locked down Monmouth, holding the Hawks to just 38 points in a 49-38 victory at Alumni Hall. The win represented the second-straight game where the Stags held an opponent to under 40 points as they moved to 2-0 in the MAAC.
 
"Weren't these kids amazing today? They were fantastic," Head Coach Joe Frager said about the near sellout crowd. "Our kids did a real nice job with the defensive game plan. They're an extremely explosive team off the bounce and they have a lot of weapons inside and outside. Our game plan coming in was 50 percent with man and zone. The zone was working for us so we stayed with it. Big win for us here today."
 
The MAAC's leading defense stepped up again as the Stags held an opponent to under 40 points for the second-straight game and the 19th time under Frager. The Stags limited Monmouth to just 24 percent shooting with a 4-for-21 clip from behind the arc. Monmouth was also limited to just six assists combined with 17 turnovers.
 
The Stags only trailed in the first quarter with Monmouth grabbing a two-point lead twice in the opening stanza. Fairfield closed out the quarter on a 7-2 run and would keep the lead for the remainder of the contest.
 
Fairfield grabbed a nine-point lead in the second quarter on seven-straight points by Callie Cavanuagh, capped by her first career 3-pointer that pushed the Fairfield advantage to 21-12. The Stags would take a 27-18 lead into the locker room despite shooting 33 percent in the half. Nine of the 10 field goals that the Stags connected on in the first half came via assists with Sam Kramer and Rachel Hakes each handing out three helpers without a turnover.
 
The Stags would lead by double digits for nearly the entire second half, pushing their lead to 16 on a Cavanuagh free throw in the fourth quarter.
 
The Stags also drew four charges in the contest with Cavanaugh picking up a pair. Kendra Landy and Katie Armstrong also sacrificed their bodies for the team with each student-athlete drawing one charge.
 
Armstrong also led the rebounding effort for the Stags with a career-high 11 rebounds as she became the first Stag this season to pull down double digit boards.
 
Lou Lopez-Senechal led the Stags in scoring as she poured in 17 for the second game in-a-row. Cavanaugh added 16 on 7-for-13 shooting. Hakes led the passing with five assists without committing a turnover.
 
The Stags will have a quick turnaround when they host the league's best offense in Saint Peter's on Saturday at Alumni Hall at 2pm.