NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball took a 2-0 lead over tournament host Yale on Saturday afternoon at Payne Whitney Gymnasium, but the reigning champions of the Ivy League rallied and claimed a 3-2 final decision at the Yale Invitational. Mamie Krubally had a career-high 17 kills for the Stags, with 11 apiece from Janna Schlageter and Mikayla Haut.
 
The marathon match was decided by set scores of 21-25, 24-26, 25-19, 25-11 and 15-9. The Stags slipped to 2-6 with the loss while Yale – playing already its fourth five-set contest of the season – moved to 3-2.
 
Krubally's 17 kills came on a sizzling .400 hitting percentage from the right side. Schlageter, who matched her career best with 11 finishers, swung at a .409 clip. In addition to Haut's 11 kills, Maya Walker was one kill shy of double figures with nine.
 
Managing Fairfield's 6-2 attack were Abby Jandro and Blakely Montgomery with 24 and 16 assists, respectively. Montgomery capped a double-double with 12 digs, while Jandro added nine from the back row.
 
Haut also notched a double-double for the Stags, picking up 10 digs. Kyla Berg donned the libero jersey for all five sets and led all players with 21 digs.
 
At the net, Fairfield posted two team blocks. Schlageter had a hand in both rejections, teaming with Walker and Harlan Wyche for one rejection apiece.
 
To round out the Stags' scoring, Haut served up three service aces and Noelle Carey landed one.
 
Yale was led by 18 kills and 14 digs for Betsy Goodnow. Carly Diehl – the reigning Player of the Year in the Ancient Eight – flirted with a triple-double with eight kills, 56 assists and 13 digs.
 
The Yale Invitational moves to the familiar confines of Leo D. Mahoney Arena on Sunday when the Stags host Villanova at 2 p.m. The Wildcats are 4-4 on the year, also falling to Yale in five sets whileadding a 3-0 sweep of Colgate.