FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The New Jersey contingent of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference visits Leo D. Mahoney Arena this weekend when Fairfield University Volleyball hosts Rider and Saint Peter's. First serve on both Saturday and Sunday is slated for 1 p.m.
 
Admission is free for all fans to all Fairfield Volleyball regular season home matches this season.
 
The Fairfield University Stags (11-5, 7-1 MAAC)

• Fairfield enters the weekend on a four-match winning streak, most recently sweeping Iona on Wednesday at Mahoney Arena.
• The Stags will pass the halfway point of the 18-match MAAC slate this weekend, currently tied in the loss column with Marist (8-1) and Quinnipiac (7-1) at the top of the standings.
• After 10 rejections on Wednesday, Fairfield continues to lead the MAAC in blocks with 2.41 per set. That effort has allowed led the Stags to the best opponent hitting percentage at .152. That numbers drops to .104 against MAAC opponents.
• Kyla Berg became the 18th Stag to eclipse the 1,000-dig mark with her 17 digs against the Gaels. Berg ranks fourth in the MAAC with 3.69 digs per set.

 
The Rider University Broncs (5-11, 4-4 MAAC)

• Rider visits Mahoney Arena with a 5-11 overall record and a 4-4 MAAC tally.
• The Broncs' league wins have come over Manhattan, Saint Peter's, Siena and Niagara with conference losses to Marist twice, Canisius and Iona.
• The Broncs own the best team hitting percentage in the MAAC at .193, just a tick higher than the Stags' .192 rate.
• Jenna Amaro is Rider's top offensive threat, ranking 10th in the MAAC with 2.85 kills per set while slotted second in hitting percentage at .282.
• First-year Bronc Molly Rohde adds 1.68 kills per set on .270 hitting and rates among the MAAC defensive leaders with 47 blocks in 56 sets.

 
The Saint Peter's University Peacocks (0-20, 0-9 MAAC)

• Saint Peter's, which will challenge Quinnipiac on Saturday, comes to Connecticut in search of its first win of the 2023 campaign.
• The Peacocks fell just shy of an upset win on Wednesday at Marist. SPU pushed the Red Foxes to a fifth set and led 13-10 in the final frame before Marist made a final 5-0 run to take the frame, 15-13, and steal the 3-2 victory.
• Morgan Thurlow leads Saint Peter's as the MAAC's most efficient hitter with a .293 hitting percentage.
• Crystal Nguyen paces the Peacocks' back row with 2.96 digs per frame.

 
The Matchups

• Nine straight wins for Fairfield over Rider have extended the Stags' lead to 41-5 in the all-time series.
• Last season, the Stags swept the Broncs in Lawrenceville and earned a 3-1 win at the RecPlex.
• A pair of 3-0 victories last season moved the all-time series with Saint Peter's to 49-4 in favor of the Stags.
• Fairfield has won the last 22 meetings dating back to the 2011 season.
• The Peacocks' lone win at Fairfield was at Alumni Hall on Sept. 19, 1992.

 
Up Next

• After putting a four-match homestand in the books this weekend, the Stags will embark on the MAAC "Buffalo trip" on Oct. 21-22 with visits to Niagara and Canisius.
• Fairfield swept the Purple Eagles and the Golden Griffs at Mahoney Arena to open the MAAC portion of the schedule in mid-September.
• The Stags will also visit Quinnipiac on Oct. 29 before returning to Mahoney Arena on Nov. 1 to kick-off a three-match homestand against Manhattan.