FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball racked up a season-high 16 blocks on Tuesday evening at Leo D. Mahoney Arena to fuel a 3-1 victory over visiting Sacred Heart.
Harlan Wyche led the block party with a hand in nine of the Stags' rejections in the MAAC home triumph.
With the win, the Stags complete an unblemished three-match homestand to improve to 9-4 overall and 3-0 in the MAAC. The Pioneers drop to 3-12 on the campaign and 0-3 in conference action.
"I thought that was the most in-rhythm that we've been in a few weeks," said Head Coach
Nancy Somera. "It was good to see us go out with energy and focus and start getting back to the level we need to be at."
The Stags' 16 blocks included a remarkable 10 in the third set as Fairfield broke open a 1-1 stalemate en route to victory. Sixteen blocks are the most for the Stags in a single match since a program-record tying 20 blocks in a five-set clash at Marist in the 2023 season.
"We were blocking well all match, but Sacred Heart did a very good job with coverage," noted Somera. "We knew if we kept at it, that the blocks would start finding the floor."
With Wyche leading the way at nine block assists,
Emma Bortolotti got a piece of eight stuffs and
Maya Walker totaled seven – five assists and two solo send-backs.
Mamie Krubally also logged five block assists and
Katelyn Cook completed the standout performance at the net with one.
In the back row, Cook led the defensive effort with 12 digs,
Zofia Sykut added 10 and
Allie Elliott posted nine.
Natalie Carlin donned the libero jersey and finished with eight digs.
The Fairfield defense effort limited Sacred Heart to a .100 hitting percentage with 35 attack errors, including a -.167 hitting percentage in the Stags' 10-block third stanza.
Offensively, Elliott set the pace with 11 kills on .313 hitting. Bortolotti registered nine kills from the right side with eight apiece coming from Cook and Krubally. Walker and Wyche had six and four kills, respectively, from the middle, and
Delaney Moon bumped over a serendipitous kill from the libero spot.
Sykut completed her double-double with a team-leading 23 assists and
Abby Jandro doled out 12 as the pair ran Fairfield's 6-2 offense to a .256 hitting percentage.
To round out the Fairfield scoring, Carlin, Cook, Elliott and
Nicole Macalintal each delivered one service ace.
The Pioneers were led by 14 kills and 14 digs from Ryleigh Short. Abbie Hagedorn also notched a double-double for Sacred Heart with 12 kills and 11 digs. SHU libero Miliani Villarreal led all players with 24 digs.
Up next, Fairfield Volleyball's first MAAC road weekend send the Stags on the conference's New Jersey swing to visit Saint Peter's and Rider on Oct. 3-4. As a part of the conference's unbalanced schedule, this weekend's trip to the Garden State will be Fairfield's only meeting with the Peacocks and Broncs in the regular season.
Action returns to Mahoney Arena on the following weekend, Oct. 10-11, for matches with Marist and Siena. Admission is free for all fans to all Fairfield Volleyball regular season home matches this season.
