Fairfield Volleyball Clinches MAAC Regular Season Title

11/9/2019 2:39:44 PM

EDISON, N.J. (Nov. 9, 2019) – Fairfield University (20-4, 15-0 MAAC) clinched the regular season title today following a 3-1 win over Rider University (13-14, 10-5), the team’s 18^th straight win. The Stags’ last regular season title came in 2017, when the team went on to win its record 10^th MAAC Volleyball Championship.

As regular season champions, the Stags will receive a first round bye in this year’s championship and will play their first match on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2:00 p.m. against the No. 4 or No. 5 seed. The 2019 MAAC Volleyball Championship returns to Fairfield, Connecticut after being held at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida last year. All games in this year’s championship will be broadcasted on the ESPN family of networks.

The Stags took the first set of the match 25-15. The Broncs battled back in the second set to tie the match at one a piece with a 25-20 win. Fairfield would go on to take the next two sets 25-13 and 25-12 to claim the regular season title. Joelle Battles led the team in kills with nine, while Manuela Nicolini led in assists (30) and digs (13).

Entering today’s game, the Stags led the MAAC in team hitting percentage (.220), opponent hitting percentage (.149), kills (13.52/set), assists (12.67/set) and aces (1.77/set) and slot second in the conference in blocks (2.04/set) and digs (16.55/set). Additionally, entering today’s contest, Manuela Nicolini led the MAAC with 10.95 assists per set and Joelle Battles was fourth in the conference in kills per set at 3.01.

The 2019 MAAC Volleyball Championship begins on Friday, Nov. 22 with the No. 3 seed playing the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed playing the No. 5 seed. The Stags and the No. 2 seed will both receive first round byes, starting competition on Saturday, Nov. 23. The 2019 MAAC Volleyball Championship Game is set for Sunday, Nov. 24. Tickets for all sessions can be purchased by visiting MAAC.Ticketleap.com or by visiting MAACSports.com/VB.

Keep up with all MAAC volleyball action by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and by searching #MAACVB. For championship information, visit MAACSports.com/VB.

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 39^th year of competition during the 2019-20 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.