FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Defense, defense, defense has always been a staple of the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team but on Saturday afternoon the squad kicked it into another gear, holding Monmouth to just 21 points, the lowest of any opponent in Fairfield's 46-year varsity history. The Stags would hold the lead the entire game for the 51-21 victory at Alumni Hall, the Stags' eighth MAAC win this year.
 
"The defense was huge," Head Coach Joe Frager said. "We were missing three guards that play prominent minutes so we have to summon this kind of effort tomorrow and rest. Up to match today's energy and effort."
 
The Stags (9-4, 8-3 MAAC), who were without three of their guards due to CoVid-19 contact tracing, had to respond defensively and they did from the very beginning.
 
The Stags would hold Monmouth to just two points in the first half, matching the fewest ever scored by a team in a half in NCAA Division I history.  The Stags tie Western Kentucky (2015 against Lipscomb) and South Carolina (Ole Miss in 2020) as the only teams in NCAA history to allow two or fewer points in a half.
 
Fairfield would limit Monmouth to a 1-for-26 shooting clip in the first half with their only make coming at the 1:57 mark of the first quarter. The Hawks would miss their first 14 shots of the game and all 10 in the second quarter.
 
The Stags, however, would struggle themselves shooting the ball in the beginning with Lou Lopez-Senechal scoring all five of the team's points in the first quarter. Fairfield found the momentum after the first quarter timeout and would end the half on a 16-0 run to grab a 18-2 advantage.
 
The heart and energy of the game was led by junior Andrea Hernangomez who would record her third career double-double as she set a career-high with 15 points and set a personal best with 14 rebounds. Since checking into the starting lineup three games ago, Hernangomez is averaging 11.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
 
"I'm super energetic and everyone is trusting me," Hernangomez said. "Everyone was with me, they were saying, 'Andrea you worked hard for it and this is your opportunity.' I was nervous but if I'm positive the basketball goes along. I'm just having fun."
 
Hernangomez was the leader on the boards in a game where the Stags grabbed a season-high 49 rebounds. Katie Armstrong also made her presence felt on the boards with 12 rebounds, her sixth career gave with double digit rebounds. Eighteen of those 49 rebounds came on the offensive glass with Hernangomez leading the bunch with five.
 
The Stags had a total of three players reach double figures with Lopez-Senechal's 13 and Callie Cavanaugh's 12 both trailing Hernangomez.
 
Mimi Rubino, who played significant minutes in the absence of the other guards, performed well with a career-high three assists and swished through her first five collegiate points.
 
The Stags will look to complete the season sweep against Monmouth tomorrow at 2pm.