FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Volleyball started the final weekend of the regular season with a 3-0 sweep of visiting Canisus on Friday evening at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The Stags knocked off the Griffs by set scores of 25-17, 25-21, and 25-20 to reel off their 17th consecutive win.
Fairfield will enter the final day of the regular season at 23-5 overall and 17-0 in the Metro. Already the Metro Conference Regular Season Champions, the Stags are eyeing the league's first 18-0 season since Fairfield completed the feat in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017.
Canisius falls to 5-22 overall and 4-13 in the Metro.
"It was good to see us close out a sweep. We made some errors, but we also overcame them to turn solid performances both offensively and on defense," said Head Coach
Nancy Somera. "The two matches this weekend and the upcoming week in our practice gym will be about continuing to raise our level going into the Metro Tournament, and today was a positive step in that process."
Fairfield's balanced attack hit .313 for the day, led by nine kills on .471 hitting by
Mamie Krubally and a scorching .727 clip from
Sophia Nagy with eight kills on 11 errorless swings.
Emma Bortolotti also had eight kills at the pins, and
Harlan Wyche contributed six from the middle.
Rounding out the attack,
Julie Dufourt had three kills and
Aislin Oldach added one.
The offense was managed by
Zofia Sykut with 32 assists to go along with two kills of her own. Sykut also contributed to the scoring with two service aces, while
Katelyn Cook and
Natalie Carlin also dealt two aces apiece from the endline.
Defensively, Dufourt led the way with 11 digs followed by 10 from Coko and eight by Carlin. The defense at the net was led by Wyche, who had a hand in five of the Stags' seven team blocks. Bortolotti got a piece of three rejections with Sykut and Krubally each playing a role in two – including a solo stuff from Krubally.
The defensive effort limited Canisius to a .110 hitting percentage. The Griffs were led by nine kills on .318 hitting for Azoria Davis. Canisius libero Brenda Reynaga had a team-best seven digs.
Fairfield Volleyball returns to the court and concludes the regular season tomorrow – Saturday, Nov. 14 – with a 1 p.m. visit from Niagara. The Stags will recognize seniors
Mamie Krubally and
Daniella Suarez prior to the match.
