Perfect 18-0 MAAC season in 2006. Impressive 49-3 in conference play over four seasons. Three MAAC Regular Season Championships.
Volleyball’s senior players of 2008 will be remembered as one of the most dominating classes in Fairfield volleyball history, finishing the regular season with a 3-0 (30-16, 30-28, 30-17) win over Manhattan on Sunday to move to 18-10 overall and 15-1 in MAAC play.
It was the team’s 14th consecutive MAAC victory.
Seniors Lauren Campbell, who is out for the season with an injury, Ashley Hanohano, Lindsey Lee, Kelly Oliver and Jazmin Pa’akaula will play at Alumni Hall one last time in the MAAC tournament. The Stags will look for the one thing that has eluded them throughout their careers: a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
It was these seniors who led the way on the day held in honor of them. Lee broke the career digs record, previously held by Lauren Laramore ’05, with her 1,623rd career dig, finishing the match with 13. She also added nine kills and three blocks. Oliver continued her breakout season with her 10th double-double of the season, recording 17 kills and 10 digs. Hanohano added 15 assists and a season-high four aces, while Pa’akaula had a match-high 25 digs.
The Stags rolled to a 30-16 victory in the first game, pulling ahead to a 16-12 lead and then allowing only four more points on the game.
In the second game, the Stags rushed out to a 28-19 lead, but then slipped back and allowed Manhattan to creep back in, and eventually make the score 29-28. But sophomores Katie Mann and Barbie Thistle leaped to the occasion and made a block to win the game.
In the third game, Fairfield returned to its dominating form with Hanohano leading the way. She had seven straight serves, including three aces, bringing the score to 13-10 in favor of the Stags. From there, Fairfield went on to a 30-17 victory, and Oliver recorded the final kill of the match.
“We executed really well for about two and a half games; we had some mental and unforced errors midway through game two,” said Head Coach C.J. Werneke, “but we came back in game three and showed what we were made of.”
The five seniors were honored before the game.
“Without a doubt they are the building blocks and the foundation of the program that we have been building since I have been here,” said Werneke. “Those five seniors exemplify everything we want in a student athlete and have touched everybody here and will have an impact on our program for years to come.”
Campbell, a San Diego, Calif., native, fell victim to an injury before the first home game of the season and missed the rest of her senior year. She was off to one of the best starts of her career with 75 total blocks and 41 kills, finishing her career with 400 and 125, respectively, in 75 matches.
Oliver, also from San Diego, is having her best season as a Stag, with 10 double-doubles and a team high in kills per game. She has been the MAAC Player of the Week twice and is the ninth Stag to record 1,000 or more kills in a career, sitting at eighth all-time in the record books.
Hanohano, Pa’akaula and Lee all come from Hilo, HI, and have played together since they were nine years old. All three attended the 150-student St. Joseph’s High in Hilo and travel together nearly 5,000 miles to Fairfield annually.
Hanohano has battled injuries throughout her career but sits fifth on the Fairfield career list with 1,689 assists. She has provided depth off the bench and contributed 27 assists earlier this season against Hofstra. She also had a double-double against Niagara.
Pa’akaula made the switch from outside hitter to libero this season and became the sixth Stag to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career, ranking in the top-five all-time in both categories. She also has 125 career aces, which his eighth all-time. She has also been named to the All-MAAC team twice in her career.
Lee will be remembered as one of the top volleyball players in Fairfield history, earning the 2006 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year honors last season and recording 1,000 digs and 1,000 kills in her career. She holds the career digs mark and is third in career kills.
Lee said she is pleased with her volleyball experiences at Fairfield.
“It felt great to win on senior day. It was emotional,” said Lee. “It’s been a fun ride. Volleyball has been a great experience, playing for C.J. I loved playing for him.
“But most of all the people have been around is the most important thing. I have formed relationships I will have forever,” added Lee.
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