Improving to an eight-game win streak and still unbeaten in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Fairfield women’s lacrosse concludes the regular season this Saturday, April 18 at 4:00 p.m. against Marist at Rafferty Stadium.
The Stags last went undefeated in the MAAC regular season in 2024, but were unable to secure the title that year in an 11-10 defeat in the championship game to Niagara, which has also won all its conference games this season.
Fairfield is 12-3 heading into this regular season finale against the Red Foxes, where a win would earn Fairfield its fourth consecutive and 17th overall MAAC Regular Season Championship.
Marist, who is currently eighth in the MAAC, holds a 4-11 record and enters Saturday’s matchup on a three-game losing streak. A double overtime defeat to Niagara marked their latest loss, but the result reflected a strong attacking performance against the Purple Eagles and one that almost produced a significant upset within the conference rankings.
Marist junior Kate Gaven led the Red Foxes against Niagara, totalling four goals and one assist, with her last score forcing the game to overtime. Gaven has 35 points for the season (20 goals and 15 assists) behind sophomore Amelia Pirozzi and senior Jesse Manger who lead the Marist offense with 37 points apiece.
In their last meeting a year ago, Fairfield overcame early attacking pressure from the Red Foxes and found their groove in front of the cage, scoring 18 goals over the last three quarters in a 20-10 victory. The Stags are on an eight-game win streak against Marist, recording 27 wins and 11 losses historically.
Fairfield goes into Saturday after a gritty 17-13 win against Quinnipiac – a victory that earned them a place in the MAAC Championship.
This will be the ninth appearance in the last 10 years for the Stags in the MAAC Championship, excluding the 2020 season when games were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Sophomore Tessa Caputo delivered a career-high eight points in the game against the Bobcats, earning MAAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors after recording two goals and an assist against Mount St. Mary’s from the previous game.
Caputo combined for five goals and three assists against Quinnipiac, alongside graduate student Kyleigh Tufano, who added four scores of her own, ultimately capping off a comprehensive and hard-fought win for the Stags.
Fellow graduate student Haley Burns collected another hat-trick and maintains her seven-game streak of getting a score on the board.
Fairfield reinforced its depth across the age groups, with both upperclassmen and underclassmen contributing to the team’s performance. First-year Lila Berkery impressed in the midfield, collecting three ground balls and four draw controls. Berkery’s clear impact highlights her growing role alongside senior Brynn Donnelly, who added a further nine draw controls to her season total of 76.
While the Stags enter Saturday’s matchup with a secured place in the post-season, a win would increase their chances of earning the No. 1 seed and the opportunity to host the championship. However, if both current top seeds, Fairfield and Niagara, finish tied with 8-0 or 7-1 records at the conclusion of the regular season, the conference office will determine hosting rights after this weekend’s final games.
“It’s a must win,” Burns said. “Yes, we have to win to host, but more importantly, we just need to be playing like we have been – that’s what we are focusing on.”
Niagara, Canisius and Mount St. Mary’s will join Fairfield in the postseason tournament, with seedings to be confirmed after this week’s final regular season matchups.
