Box Score 

RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Less than 24 hours after having a 25-match regular season Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) winning streak snapped by Siena, the Fairfield University volleyball team got back on the winning track on Sunday.  The Stags traveled to Riverdale, N.Y., and defeated Manhattan College 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-20).

Stags head coach Jeff Werneke earned his 95th win as the program’s head coach, becoming the winningest coach in program history. Werneke surpassed Todd Kress' mark of 94 victories which he accrued from 1995-98.

The Stags captured the first game 30-19 behind Lindsey Lee’s five kills, as she hit .400 in the game.  The Stags opened a 16-7 advantage in the contest, but saw the Jaspers score nine of the next 11 points to close to 18-16.  Fairfield rattled off the next four points to open a six-point lead, which they expanded down the stretch, winning on a service ace from Jazmin Pa’akaula.

Game two was another back and forth battle between the two squads, with Manhattan taking a 15-13 lead. Fairfield would answer however, scoring the next five points, and go on for a 12-2 run to take a 15-17 lead that they would not relinquish.  Manhattan mounted another mini-challenge making it 25-18, but the Stags, behind four kills from Katie Mann in the game, pulled away to win 30-21.  Like the first game, Fairfield clinched the win on a service ace, this time from Kelly Oliver.

Fairfield used another strong finish in game three to earn the win, capturing the final game 30-20.  The Jaspers scored to make the score 8-7, and the Stags answered with a 7-3 run to open a 15-10 advantage.  The Jaspers came on again however, cutting the Stags advantage to three, 16-13, before a mini three point run, pushed the lead back to six points.  The teams traded points over the next service changes making the score 21-17.  From that point Fairfield scored seven straight points to take a 28-17 lead.  After three jasper points made it 28-20, Brandi Higa and Mann recorded back-to-back kills for the win.

Mann finished the game with 10 kills and hit .600 for the contest, adding five digs and a block as well.  Lee recorded nine kills and nine digs, while Oliver led the team with 12 digs and a career-high six service aces. 

Setter Barbie Thistle added 28 assists, five digs and three aces.

Fairfield hit .271 as a team on the day, while the Jaspers hit just .108.  Fairfield had eight total blocks in the contest. The Stags also tallied 13 service aces on the day.

Fairfield improves to 5-9 overall and 2-1 in MAAC play, while the Jaspers drop to 1-11 overall and 0-2 in league play.

The Stags open the home portion of their schedule this coming weekend, as they continue MAAC play.  Fairfield hosts Canisius on Saturday Sept. 22 and Niagara on Sunday.  Both matches will begin at 2 p.m. in Alumni Hall.