Oct. 10, 2009
Final Stats
Fairfield registered 11 services aces and four Stags reached double figures in kills in a 3-1 win over Siena Saturday. The Stags jumped out to an easy 2-0 lead before Siena stormed back behind the setting of Kau'i Robello to take the third set. Fairfield claimed a 26-24 win in the decisive fourth set.
It was Fairfield's fourth straight regular-season win over Siena, but the Saints have defeated the Stags in the MAAC Championship match in each of the last four years.
With the win, the Stags remain atop the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 6-1 record. Siena drops to 4-3 in MAAC play. The Saints will play host to Manhattan Sunday at the ARC.
Senior Katie Mann, the reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Week, led Fairfield (8-10) with 16 kills while freshman Brianna Dixion had 15. Dixion also added nine digs and four total blocks. Sophomore Haililani Pokipala notched a double-double with 10 kills and a career-high 16 digs. Junior Lauren Hughes added 13 kills while freshman Kara Reis notched 20 digs.
Siena was led by Burgandy McCurty and Aubrey Bobo. McCurty tallied a match-high 18 kills while Bobo recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 19 digs for Siena.
Fairfield used a 6-3 run midway through the first set to take control on its way to a 25-17 win. The Stags scored five straight points early in the second set to take command, but Siena rallied to cut the lead to 20-19 before Fairfield closed the set with a 5-1 run to claim a 25-20 win.
Siena switched setters in the third set and Robello helped the Saints erase an early Fairfield lead to take a 13-9 lead. The Stags pulled within 13-12, but a kill by McCurty tipped the momentum and Siena used a 6-2 run to pull away from Fairfield and never looked back in a 25-17 triumph.
The fourth set was a classic Siena-Fairfield battle with 11 ties and six lead changes. Trailing 19-18, Pokipala delivered a service ace to tie the score. Hughes then gave the Stags a 20-19 lead with a kill. Three-straight Fairfield errors and a kill by Aubrey Bobo put Siena on top, 23-20. The Stags rallied to tie the score, 23-23, on a block by Lauren Balmert and Alexandra Ferraco. An ace by Mann made the score 24-23, but a Fairfield error re-tied the set. Hughes responded with a kill and Dixion followed with the match-winner in the 26-24 victory.
The Saints out-blocked the Stags 11-7, but Fairfield had 11 service aces on the day.
