FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The 18-match Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule starts this weekend for Fairfield University Volleyball when Rider and Saint Peter's make the trip to the RecPlex. First serve on both Saturday and Sunday is slated for 1 p.m., and both matches will be broadcast live on the Stags Sports Network.
 
Fans who plan to attend this weekend's matches are reminded that masks are required for all visitors in all indoor facilities on campus.
 
Fairfield enters MAAC play with a record of 5-6, having won four of their last five outings. Most recently, the Stags took a four-set decision over visiting Bryant on Tuesday evening to follow up on a 2-1 weekend at the Sacred Heart Invitational. The Stags' non-league ledger was highlighted by a win over High Point – the defending Big South Champions who reached the NCAA Championship Second Round this past spring – and also included a season-opening trip to Hawai'I to challenge the powerhouse trio of the host Wahine, Texas A&M and Marquette.
 
"Being into conference play doesn't change much for us in terms of approach. We'll still be going through our process, focusing on our culture and what we need to do to be successful," said Head Coach Todd Kress. "Though having said that, we know that if we do those things, we expect a positive outcome more often than not."
 
Saturday's visit from Rider will be a clash between the reigning MAAC Regular Season Champion Stags and Tournament Champion Broncs. Fairfield swept a doubleheader from Rider in March en route to a 9-1 regular season but did not compete in the postseason as a result of Covid-19 protocols. Fourth-seeded Broncs won three matches in Albany the following month to hoist the conference trophy and went on to meet UCLA in the NCAA Championship First Round.

The Broncs are 2-7 following an ambitious non-conference slate, most recently claiming back-to-back matches against Merrimack and Hartford to get in the win column.
 
"Rider earned the right to represent the MAAC in the NCAA Tournament last season, so we know that to be successful, we need to go through them among many others," said Kress. "The bottom line is that we have to do our job and that it starts with tomorrow, but both matches this weekend and every match the rest of the way are equally important as far as accomplishing our goals this season."
 
Saint Peter's will travel to the RecPlex on Sunday after opening their MAAC schedule on Saturday at Quinnipiac. The Peacocks are 1-10 on the year with their lone victory coming last Saturday over Fairleigh Dickinson. Saint Peter's did not compete in the spring 2021 season.
 
This weekend's contests conclude a 10-match span within the Town of Fairfield for the Stags (seven home matches, three at Sacred Heart). The road schedule kicks in with the longest trip on the MAAC calendar as Fairfield heads to Western New York to challenge Canisius on Sept. 25 at noon and Niagara on Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.
 
Action returns to campus the following Saturday, Oct. 2 for a 1 p.m. meeting with in-state MAAC rival Quinnipiac.