Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Volleyball team closed out play in the Fairfield Invitational by dropping a five set thriller (25-20, 15-25, 27-25, 14-25, 15-13) to the Hofstra Pride in an exciting back and forth match at the RecPlex. Four different Stags entered double figures in kill, led by 19 kills by
KJ Johnson, who was named to the Fairfield Invitational All-Tournament Team.
The Stags dominated the second and fourth sets, committing just six errors and hitting over .350 as a team in the two sets won.
Joelle Battles, who was one of four Stags in double figures, led the Stags in the second stanza picking up six kills on just eight swings. Battles would finish with 16 kills and a team-high .389 hitting percentage.
Fairfield used a 9-0 run to separate themselves from Hofstra in the second set and take a commanding 14-5 lead. Battles tallied three kills in that stretch and was joined by kills from
Luci Albertson and
Mikayla Haut.
With the match tied at one game apiece, both sides matched each other in a back and forth third set. The third set featured nine ties and three lead changes and no team was able to take a lead greater than three points. After a Hofstra attack error gave the Stags a 12-11 advantage, the Stags would not relinquish the lead until the final two points of the set.
Fairfield held set point after another attack error made the score 24-22 but the Pride were able to rally to force extra time and take the fourth set on a block.
The Stags came out firing in the fourth set, hitting .294 as a team and leading by as many as 11. Five different Stags registered at least a pair of kills in the stanza, led by three from Battles, Johnson, and Haut.
Fairfield had the first run of the decisive fifth set after a pair of kills from Albertson and Johnson capped a 4-0 run to make the score 8-4. After a mini Hofstra run, Battles was able to tally another kill to put the advantaged at 12-11, but that would be the final lead for the Stags as Hofstra took four of the final five points.
The Stags' offense was impressive, hitting .290 as a team compared to .185 for Hofstra. Haut was also impressive off the bench with 12 kills on a .370 hitting percentage. Freshman setter
Blakely Montgomery also shined off the bench as she registered 40 assists and 16 digs. Libero
Kyla Berg was the lone Stag to tally more digs than Montgomery as she had a match high 21.
Fairfield is back in action at the Rec Plex tomorrow when they take on High Point at 1pm.
