FAIRFIELD, CT - The Iona College volleyball program fell in straight sets (16-25,16-25,18-25) to Fairfield university on Sunday afternoon. The loss snaps the Gaels four game winning streak and brings them back to .500 in conference play at 5-5. Fairfield continues to sit atop of the standings, improving to 10-0 in the MAAC and pushing their win streak to 11.
The Match
After an opening point kill from sophomore
Emma Jacobs, Fairfield won the next six points giving the Stags momentum and the lead in the set for good. Despite committing eight errors Iona hung around throughout the set getting as close as 18-15 after a kill from junior middle hitter
Fleur Wiersma. The Stags managed to win the next five points opening up a comfortable 23-15 advantage and moments later KJ Johnson closed out the opening set with one of her game-high 13 kills.
Fairfield maintained distance throughout the second set, pouring in a match-high 18 kills on only three errors. Trailing 14-7 the Gaels put together a 5-1 run thanks to kills from sophomore
Kiarra Roth, Wiersma, and senior
Alessandra Brady during the stretch. Ultimately the Stags remained in control, closing out the frame on a 10-4 run to win 25-16, and take a two set lead advantage.
Propelled behind the offense pouring in four kills, the Gaels stormed back to start the third set, winning the first three points and then opening up a 6-2 lead. The kills came from Sophomore
Jen Soto, freshman
Nerin Valasakos and two from senior
Cassandra Patsos as the Maroon & Gold hit a team-high 12 kills in the frame. However, Fairfield responded with an 8-1 run capitalizing on four errors allowing the Stags to take the lead for good. Roth helped Iona stay in the third set, with three straight kills that trimmed the deficit to 13-10. In the end the Stags would be too strong and leading 22-17, Fairfield would go on to win the next three out of four points to close out the match in three sets.
STAT LEADERS
Offensively Roth led the Gaels with eight kills while Patsos poured in 6 as Jacobs and Soto had five kills apiece. A day after her milestone, junior
Samantha Juran handed out 16 assist and sophomore
Tamara Pichardo contributed with 12. Sophomore libero
Hope Matschner had 11 digs to lead the way defensively for the Gaels.
UP NEXT:
The Maroon & Gold return to the Hynes Center to take on Marist next Saturday, Oct 23 on ESPN 3. Firsr serve is schedule for 1 p.m. as the Gaels will look to avenge last months four set loss to the Red Foxes.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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