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Iona University Athletics

Tess Connolly
0
Fairfield FFD 14-16
3
Winner Iona College ION 19-7
Fairfield FFD
14-16
0
Final
3
Iona College ION
19-7
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Fairfield FFD 19 14 16 (0)
Iona College ION 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Jonathan Stanko

Iona Volleyball Advances To MAAC Championship Game

Gaels sweep three-time defending MAAC Champions Fairfield

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – The Iona College volleyball team earned a berth into the 2018 MAAC Championship game on Saturday afternoon with a sweep of the three-time defending conference champions Fairfield. Using a balanced attack, Iona won the match 25-19, 25-14, 25-16.

The Gaels play in the program's fourth MAAC Championship appearance tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. for an automatic berth into the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Iona will be looking to capture its second conference title in program history.

MATCH SUMMARY

Iona won the first set 25-19. The Gaels had 16 kills compared to nine for the Stags. Senior Mia Bonsignore led the charge with six kills on eight attempts. Senior Claire Archibald had seven digs. The Maroon & Gold hit .244 in the opening set.

Fairfield and Iona traded the lead in the first set until sophomore Taylor Cole entered and served the Gaels in front, 15-12. The three-point lead would balloon to as many as seven before Iona closed it out with a Stags service error.

The Gaels took the second set in dominant fashion, 25-14. Iona's defense held Fairfield to a -.130 hitting percentage. The Stags compounded its deficit with four service errors and eight attack errors. Iona had 14 kills on a .300 hitting percentage.

Archibald led the way in the second with four kills on five attempts. She also had a team-best three digs in the set. One of Archibald's kills made the score 16-9, and from there rookie Cassandra Patsos went on to serve four straight points. Archibald, the senior California native, put her final stamp on the frame with a kill to end it.

Iona ended the match with a decisive 25-16 third set victory. Bonsignore and Archibald combined for eight of Iona's 13 kills in the frame. Junior Jessica Paolucci came up large defensively, recording eight digs with zero reception errors. She also had two aces, one of which secured Iona its berth into the title contest.

NOTEABLE NUGGETS

  • Archibald and Bonsignore both led the Maroon & Gold with 11 kills. Archibald hit .259 and Bonsignore hit .233.
  • It is Bonsignore's second straight double-digit kill effort. She had 10 on senior day against Siena and now has nine on the season.
  • Archibald and Paolucci each had team-best 12 digs. Rose had a match-best 36 assists.
  • Cole came off the bench and supplied three service aces.
  • Iona has had five or more blocks in four straight matches and five of their last six. Six different players had at least one block assist for the Gaels against the Stags.
  • Fairfield's .032 hitting percentage is the third lowest for an Iona opponent this season. The only lower percentages came in conference against Quinnipiac (Sept. 22) and Siena (Oct. 6).

UP NEXT

Iona plays for the MAAC Championship and an automatic NCAA Tournament berth tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. The Gaels play with winner of the second semifinal match, No. 2 Canisius and No. 3 Rider.

The Gaels are looking to capture their second ever MAAC Championship. Iona previously won the championship in 2004.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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