FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball swung at a stinging .404 clip to power past visiting Manhattan in straight sets on Friday at Leo D. Mahoney Arena.
Emma Bortolotti led the offensive effort with 14 kills at a .542 clip.
With the victory, Fairfield improves to 10-0 in the Metro to clinch their 31st consecutive winning season in conference play as a part of a 16-5 overall record. Manhattan falls to 5-16 with a 4-6 league mark. The Stags took the match by set scores of 25-10, 25-17, and 25-20.
"I think we've been more fearless with our swings lately. Our hitters are swinging to score points and not worrying about errors, and our setters are putting them in position to do that," said Head Coach
Nancy Somera. "It's great to finish off a match in three sets when we have the opportunity to do so, especially with a short turnaround and another tough Metro team coming in tomorrow afternoon."
In addition to Bortolotti's 14 kills,
Julie Dufourt put down 13 while hitting .522 from the left side. Dufourt has posted double-digit kills in each of the last three matches – the first three matches with 10+ kills in her young career.
Standout right-side hitter
Mamie Krubally continued her torrid pace. The Metro's Preseason Player of the Year had 10 kills on 14 errorless attempts to hit .714 and improve her season average to a league-leading .403 overall and .516 against Metro Conference opponents.
Supplementing the attack,
Harlan Wyche (.429) and
Sophia Nagy (.333) each had four kills in the middle.
Aislin Oldach and
Katelyn Cook added three kills apiece from the left pin, with
Courtney Vines and
Natalie Carlin each landing one.
The attack was run to its .404 rate by
Zofia Sykut and
Noella Migliuri with 20 and 18 assists, respectively. Carlin pitched in eight assists from the libero spot.
Fairfield added five points from the serving game. Migliuri dealt a pair of aces for the Stags with Nagy, Cook, and Carlin each delivering one.
Carlin also paced the back row, finishing with a match-high 18 digs in three sets. Cook added eight and Sykut picked up six. The Stags also had five blocks, led by three from Nagy and Wyche with a hand in two to help limit Manhattan to a .113 hitting percentage.
Abby Morreale led the Jaspers with seven kills on .429 hitting, and Katie Powers finished with six for Manhattan.
Fairfield Volleyball continues its homestand tomorrow – Saturday, Oct. 24 – with a 2 p.m. visit from Iona. The Gaels, who are currently in action at Sacred Heart on Friday evening, brought an 11-10 overall record and 6-3 league mark up to the Nutmeg State this weekend.
Admission is free for all fans to all Fairfield Volleyball regular season home matches this season.
