NORFOLK, Va. – Fairfield University Volleyball jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Saturday against West Virginia, but the Big XII's Mountaineers rallied to take a nail-biting 3-2 decision in the de facto championship match of the Quest for the Crown Tournament hosted by Old Dominion.
 
West Virginia won the tournament with a perfect 3-0 weekend. Fairfield finishes at 2-1 after dispatching the host Monarchs as well as Towson in Friday action from Norfolk.
 
In Saturday's match, the Stags took the first two sets by scores of 27-25 and 25-22. Fairfield was in position to close out the match in straight sets, flipping a 14-11 deficit to a 24-23 advantage, but West Virginia erased two match-point chances for the Stags and then took the third stanza, 28-26.
 
The fourth frame once again went to a 24-23 tally, this time with the Mountaineers in front. Fairfield thwarted the first three WVU tries to finish the set but could not swing the score and take the advantage, and West Virginia eventually closed out another 28-26 frame to put the match to a fifth frame.
 
The final set was again decided by just two points, as Fairfield fought back to close a 14-10 margin before the Mountaineers won the match's final rally to take the set, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
 
Emma Bortolotti had the breakout performance of her young Fairfield career. The freshman put down a match-high 19 kills on .371 hitting from the right side. Allie Elliott posted her third double-double of the weekend with 13 kills and 10 digs, and Mamie Krubally added 11 kills.
 
Katelyn Cook was just shy of her first collegiate double-double with nine kills and 13 digs. Harlan Wyche led the Fairfield middles with seven kills at a .357 clip and also got a hand on seven of Fairfield's eight team blocks.
 
Fairfield's 6-2 offense was humming to a .261 hitting percentage courtesy of Zofia Sykut and Abby Jandro with 31 and 27 assists, respectively. Jandro added 10 digs to the defensive effort and Sykut chipped in eight.
 
Delaney Moon led the back row with 14 digs and Daniella Suarez had a career-best six.
 
West Virginia was led by five players in double-digit kills, headed by 15 from Nina Horning.
 
Fairfield Volleyball returns to action next weekend for two matches at the Villanova Classic. The Stags meet High Point on Friday, Sept. 5 and the host Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 6.