With nonconference games underway, the women’s volleyball team is back on the court for yet another try at the ultimate prize: a MAAC championship.
The Stags are coming off of a perfect 18-0 conference record, beating their MAAC opponents not once, but twice. However, the past seasons have ended in a less than desirable situation.
After winning the regular season championship in 2006, the Stags were unable to pull off a conference tournament championship, which would have secured a bid to the NCAA tournament.
Although the past seasons have been bittersweet for Fairfield, they are returning a strong core of players, including five starters from the 2006 season. Fairfield brought in four freshmen to help them out in the 2007 campaign and boast five seniors, all hoping to grasp a MAAC championship.
Once again the Stags start off the season as the favorite in the MAAC conference. Fairfield earned the top spot in the preseason coaches poll, followed closely by 2006 tournament champions Siena.
Making ranks into the preseason All-MAAC team are sophomores Barbie Thistle and Katie Mann, while senior Lindsey Lee was picked as preseason Player of the Year. Mann and Thistle were also both named to the 2006 All-MAAC second team, while Thistle also garnered the 2006 MAAC Setter of the Year.
Starting her final season, Lee is coming off of the title of 2006 All-MAAC Offensive Player of the Year. Lee also managed to mark her place in Fairfield history during the 2006 season when she reached her 1,000th career dig and 1,000th career kill.
However, despite the returning talent, the Stags have set aside a rigorous non-conference schedule to prepare them for conference play. The team recently returned from San Diego where they played top ranked teams such as San Diego State University, University of California at Santa Barbara and No. 12 University of San Diego.
While the Stags did not come away with the results they wanted, they performed well in their recent games. Fairfield went 2-1 this past weekend defeating Penn and Seton Hall at the Seton Hall Tournament.
With strong performances over the weekend were both Lee and Kelly Oliver ’08, who received MAAC honors. Oliver was named Offensive Player of the Week after recording a career high 22 kills and 26 digs against Penn. Lee, named Defensive Player of the Week, came in only one dig shy of Fairfield’s single-match dig record.
Coming away from a good weekend, the Stags look to move forward with their season. However, the real test begins this week as they begin regular season play. Fairfield will face Saint Peter’s on Wednesday, Sept. 12 followed by conference rival Siena on Saturday.
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