Nov. 14, 2009

Box Score

FAIRFIELD, CONN. - The Marist volleyball team moved to 10-7 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Saturday afternoon, losing to the Fairfield Stags 3-1 (22-25, 25-10, 25-21, 25-23) at Alumni Hall. The Red Foxes' now have only a one match lead on fifth-place Loyola and Iona for the final berth in the MAAC Tournament. Junior middle blocker Lindsey Schmid (Austin, Texas) led Marist with 15 kills, hitting .565 for the match. She also had two aces, giving her 160 for her career and a new Marist career record.

With the opening set tied 5-5, Fairfield (18-11, 15-2 MAAC) went on a 5-1 run capped off by a Stephanie Cruz ace to take a 10-6 lead. Marist (16-12, 10-7 MAAC) answered back with a 6-2 run, getting kills from Schmid and Alexandra Schultze (Austin, Texas) to tie the set at 17-17. The set was tied 19-19 when Marist took its first lead of the set on a kill by Leeann Harridsleff (Simi Valley, Calif.), 20-19. Schmid then followed that with her record-breaking ace, putting Marist ahead 21-19. The Red Foxes had a set point at 24-21 after a Stags error, but Fairfield fought it off with a kill by Katie Mann. The Stags, however, would not get the next point. Schultze put down a kill to give Marist the first set 25-22.

Fairfield dominated the second set, jumping out to a 9-3 lead. The Stags led 14-9 when they went on a 10-0 run to go ahead 24-9, eventually winning the set 25-10. Marist's offense struggled mightily in the second set after hitting .341 in the first. The Red Foxes hit -.231 for the set on three kills and nine errors on 26 attacks. Conversely, Fairfield hit .364 for the second set with 11 kills and only three errors.

The two teams traded points to start the third set, playing to a 6-6 lead. Fairfield led 12-9 when Marist got three straight kills by Schultze to tie the set at 12-12. With the set tied at 17-17, the Stags took advantage of three consecutive Red Foxes' errors to take a 20-17 lead. Marist came back with a kill by Dawn Jan (Belleville, N.J.) and a block by Kayla Burton (Kissimmee, Fla.) and Hanna Stoiberg (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), getting within one at 22-21. After that block, Fairfield got kills by Mann and Haililani Pokipala as part of a 3-0 run to take the set 25-21.

Marist got out to a hot start in the fourth set, going ahead 6-2 on kills by Schmid and Schultze. The Red Foxes' lead grew to six at 12-6 on two Burton blocks and another Schultze kill. Fairfield got within one at 12-11 after a kill by Brianna Dixion and a Cruz ace. The Stags eventually tied the set at 16-16 on a Mann kill. With the set tied at 19-19, Marist took the lead on a Foss kill. Dixion then hit two straight kills to give Fairfield a 21-20 lead. Fairfield had match point at 24-21 when Schultze hit back-to-back kills to make the score 24-23. The Stags then put away the match with a Mann kill, taking the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.

Schultze finished the match with 14 kills for Marist, as Foss had six to go with 10 digs. Libero Emily Brosky (Whitehall, Pa.) led all players with 21 digs. Fairfield hit .230 for the match, holding Marist to a .142 mark. The Stags also held a 64-53 advantage in digs. Dixion led all players with 17 kills, as Mann had 16 kills and five blocks. Kara Reis led the Stags with 19 digs.

Marist will play its final match of the 2009 regular season Sunday at 2 p.m. at Rider. A Red Foxes win will clinch the fourth seed into the MAAC Tournament.