FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will host MAAC newcomer Merrimack for the first time in program history on Saturday at 2pm. The two teams represent two of the five remaining unbeaten MAAC teams in conference play.
 
The Stags improved their MAAC record to 2-0 after a 32-point win over Rider on Thursday night. The quintet of Fairfield's road runners represented 51 of the team's 69 points. Raiana Brown led the Stags with 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the floor and a 3-for-4 showing from the free throw line.
 
Freshman Cyanne Coe had one of her best games of her young career with 12 points on 6-for-9 from the floor and led the team in rebounds with a career-high six.
 
Izabela Nicoletti Leite, who entered the game ranked second in the MAAC in assists, increased her season average to 5.3 after dishing out six. The graduate student also improved to seventh in the nation in assist-turnover ratio.
 
The Stags also had one of their best defensive games of the season, holding Rider to just 37 points and forcing 23 turnovers. Fairfield moved from fifth in the conference to the top spot in scoring defense with the win, now allowing just over 58 points per game.
 
Merrimack will also bring a 2-0 conference record into the contest after wins over Canisius and Niagara. Thalia Shepard is the team's leading scorer with 11.5 points per game while Madison Roman leads the team on the boards with 8.0 rebounds per contest.
 
Fairfield will hit the road for their next conference outing, heading to Iona on Thursday at 6pm.