FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team's defense stepped up when needed the most as they overcame an off-shooting afternoon by holding the Iona Gaels to just 46 points while forcing 20 turnovers in a 63-46 victory at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The win improves Fairfield's conference record to a perfect 11-0 while extending their winning streak against conference opponents to 34-straight, the second-longest in MAAC history and the fifth-longest active streak in the nation.
 
"We had a good defensive game," Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis said. "We had some mistakes here and there but at the end of the day we got enough stops to give us some separation in particularly the third quarter. Even when your offense isn't pretty you can still win with defense."
 
For the second-straight meeting between the two squads, the third quarter was Fairfield's (17-3; 11-0 MAAC) best as they outscored Iona 16-2 in the period.
 
Fairfield would enter the second half with a slim 25-24 lead but would eventually boost that margin to 15 by the end of the quarter. The Stags held Iona scoreless for the final 6:49 of the period and would end the quarter on a 14-0 run. In the first meeting in New Rochelle, the Stags went on a game-deciding 17-0 spurt in the third.
 
Cyanne Coe was the leading force during the run with three layups in a three-minute span. The freshman would tie for the team lead for the second-straight game after finishing with 14 points of 7-for-9 shooting. In total, she shot 87 percent on the week (13-for-15) and is shooting a conference-best 77 percent in MAAC games.
 
Fairfield found their shooting touch to close out the game with Izabela Nicoletti Leite, Meghan Andersen, and Kendall McGruder all swishing through 3-pointers in the final 3:40 of the game to hold off any Iona rally.
 
Coe and Kaety L'Amoreaux led the Stags with 14 points apiece while shooting a combined 76 percent (13-for-17). L'Amoreaux also tied for the team lead with seven rebounds and paced the team with four assists. Andersen also led the defensive effort with a season-high four blocked shots.
 
The Stags will now hit the road for back-to-back road games starting with a meeting at Marist on Thursday at 7pm.