FAIRFIELD, Conn. – As the Fairfield University Women's Soccer team huddled around the pitch after their 4-1 victory over Iona, Head Coach David Barrett kept repeating one word as he described the journey the team has been on over the last four years. That word was "pride."
 
That long journey has led the Stags to earn a share of their first MAAC Regular Season Championship in a decade after posting a 14-3 overall mark and tying the program single season record with nine conference wins as part of their 9-1 mark. Maddy Theriault scored twice in the victory with Caroline Kelly and Maddie Kiely also touching the net for the Stags in their clinching victory.
 
"I'm incredibly proud of this team," Coach Barrett said. "This has been a great journey that we've been on. A lot of pieces of the puzzle have come together in high level performances and special players lifting us up when we needed it. It's been a process to get to this point and we're really pleased they were able to put it together over the course of the season."
 
The nine MAAC victories ties the 1997 and 1998 squads for the most in program history while their 14 victories overall is the most by any Fairfield team since 2014.
 
Fairfield got off to a quick start by scoring twice in the first half coming from the head of Caroline Kelly and the right foot of their star rookie Maddy Theriault.
 
In the 15^th minute, the Stags earned a corner kick which Maddie Mills lined near the mouth of the goal where Kelly was able to deflect it past the keeper for her third goal of the season. Mills picked up her seventh assist, tying for the team lead. She has now recorded a point in 10 of her 14 appearances including four-straight outings.
 
Theriault would increase the lead in the 32^nd minute as she accepted a pass from Meghan Carragher and dribbled past a couple of defenders and converted her chance for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.
 
She would add to that total and give Fairfield more breathing room in the 80^th minute after Tory Bike slid for a challenge and hit the ball to Theriault who went into the box and snuck her shot past the keeper again. Her eight goals now ranks second in the MAAC and tied for fifth nationally among first-year players.
 
With the clock winding down, the Stags would crack the scoring column again as Maddie Kiely launched a strike from the side of the net into the upper corner for her first goal of the season.
 
Fairfield out-shot Iona 15-5 in the contest with Theriault leading all players with six. Katie Wright earned her 14^th win of the season with two saves. Her 14 wins is the most among any freshman goalkeeper in the country and is tied for second in Fairfield program history with Kathleen Early (2014).
 
The Regular Season Championship is the eighth in program history for the Stags and their first since 2012.
 
Fairfield will now await their opponent in the MAAC Semifinals which will take place on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7pm on Lessing Field.