HAMDEN, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball controlled the action at the net with 17 blocks on Saturday en route to a 3-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory. Ella Gardiner had a hand in 12 of those rejections along with 10 kills for her first career double-double.
 
With the win, the Stags bounce back from their first and only MAAC loss of the fall to improve to 18-7 overall and 13-1 in the MAAC. Fairfield can clinch at least a share of the MAAC Regular Season Championship – the 20th in program history – with its next victory.
 
Quinnipiac drops to 8-15 on the season and 7-7 in the MAAC. The Stags sweep the season series from the Bobcats, winning today by set scores of 25-19, 25-16, 23-25 and 27-25 after sweeping QU at the RecPlex four weeks ago.
 
In addition to new personal career-high, Gardiner's 12 blocks are the most by a MAAC player this season. She had six solo rejections and had a hand in six tandem blocks. The Stags' 17 team blocks tie for the second-most in the league in 2021, topped only by Fairfield's own 18-block effort in the Oct. 10 sweep at Rider.
 
Mikayla Haut added six blocks to the effort to go along with eight kills on .389 hitting from the outside. The attack was paced by KJ Johnson's 22 kills (.309 hitting) to improve her standing as the MAAC leader in kills and points per frame. Johnson also had four digs, three blocks and a service ace.
 
Blakely Montgomery stepped in to the setter position today, running the offense to a .245 hitting percentage. She doled out 42 assists and registered her second career double-double with 11 digs. Montgomery also dumped over four kills of her own.
 
Rounding out the attack, Luci Albertson sent home seven kills on .308 hitting, and Laura Seeger put down six kills.
 
In addition to the Stags' 17 blocks, the defensive effort in the back row was led by Georgia Via's match-high 17 digs from the libero position. In total, Fairfield limited the Bobcats to a .103 hitting percentage.
 
Up next, the Stags return to the RecPlex for the final home weekend of the 2021 campaign. Fairfield hosts Siena on Saturday and Marist on Sunday; both matches are set for 1 p.m. with Senior Day festivities planned prior to first serve against the Red Foxes.