Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - Despite double-doubles from three Stags and a record-setting 34 digs by senior Brandi Higa (Honolulu, Hawaii/Hawaii Baptist Academy), the Fairfield University volleyball team was edged 3-2 (15-25, 25-15, 26-24, 18-25, 12-15) by Towson University (7-3) in an intense battle at the Northern Illinois Invitational. It is this third-straight match in which the Stags (2-7) have fallen in five sets. 

Higa registered 34 digs setting Fairfield's single-match record. The previous standard of 30 was held by former Stags Lauren Laramore and Jazmin Pa'akaula and was set in 2004. Higa is rapidly approaching her 1,000th career dig and is 17 away from the milestone. When achieved, Higa will be the ninth Stag in program history to complete the feat. 

Sophomore Alex Lopez (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain), senior Karlie Urbaniak (Canton, Minn./Mabel-Canton), and freshman Lauren Balmert (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) each recorded double-doubles for the Stags. Lopez notched 10 kills and a career-high 22 digs while Urbaniak tallied 10 kills and a 15 digs, one shy of her career best. Balmert recorded 45 assists and 12 digs along with five kills. 

Sophomore Lauren Hughes (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) posted a team-high 16 kills while junior Katie Mann (Del Mar, Calif./Torrey Pines) added 12 kills. Rookie Kendal Dirkin (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park & River Forest) picked up six kills without an error and finished with a .545 attack percentage. Freshman Haililani Pokipala (Honolulu, Hawaii/Sacred Hearts Academy) recorded nine digs and three aces. 

After dropping the first set, Fairfield regrouped in the second frame. With the score knotted at 11-11, the Stags went on a 7-0 run and never looked back, taking the set 25-15. In the third set, Fairfield erased a six-point deficit, fighting back to tie the score 19-19 on a kill by Dirkin. With the score tied, 24-24, Mann delivered a kill and Pokipala followed with an ace to give the Stags the win. 

The Stags held a 13-12 advantage over the Tigers in the fourth set, but Towson used a 6-1 run to take the lead away and was able to stave off the Fairfield attack to tie the match at two sets apiece. The deciding set was a battle with five ties and two lead changes. With the score tied 8-8, the Tigers gained ground by going on a 5-2 run to make the score 13-10. The Stags pulled within 14-12 on a kill by Mann, but Towson's Britney Loomis was able to close the set out with a kill. 

Fairfield wraps up play at the Northern Illinois Invitational this afternoon against the host Huskies.