The Fairfield University volleyball team had two games this past week, securing victories in both matches.
They recently have been led with solid play by KJ Johnson ’23, who won Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week for her performances against Niagara University and Canisius College.
On Wednesday, Oct. 26, the Stags squared off with Siena College at home at the RecPlex. The Stags entered the contest red-hot on a four-match win streak and held sole possession of the first-place slot in the conference standings. However, this match would be a tough test, as Siena also came into the match with a winning streak, winning their last eight matches in a row.
Fairfield still looked to capitalize on their strong play and home-court advantage, which they needed to do to win against a strong opponent. They did just that, with the Stags winning the game in five sets with a score of 3-2.
The Stags were once again led by Johnson, who led them in kills with 16 and digs with 15. Allie Elliot ‘26 and Ella Gardiner ’24 were dominant up front with 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Fairfield registered 50 assists in the back-and-forth match and played well defensively, with 15 blocks. Sophomore Blakely Montgomery also performed well in the match, setting her teammates up with 30 assists and also providing three aces while serving. It was a much-needed win for the Stags against a solid MAAC opponent who is not far behind them in the conference standings.
After the win, the Stags immediately shifted their focus to their next match, which was away in Hamden, Conn. against the Quinnipiac University Bobcats, an opponent who came into the game with a four-match win streak.
The Stags made short work of the Bobcats, winning in just three sets. Their dominant play kept their win streak alive and pushed it to six games.
The Bobcats had been struggling in conference play this year and now drop to 6-8 in conference matches. Montgomery led the Stags in this match, dishing out 18 assists. Fairfield’s defensive performance was especially outstanding, allowing only a meager .093 team-hitting percentage for Quinnipiac. Grad Student Sara Daniels led the right side for the Stags with 11 kills, while Elliot contributed eight kills on the left side for the Stags.
With this win, the team has gone 13-1 in MAAC play this year, a very strong performance that they will look to keep up heading into next Saturday’s match at Iona University. It also increases their win streak to six games in a row. Fairfield’s volleyball team has been at the top of their game this season. If they can keep up their consistent play, then they should be optimistic about their chances at the 2022 MAAC Championship that will take place in Orlando, Fla. later this November.
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