Women's Volleyball Downs Rival Fairfield on the Road, 3-1

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart women's volleyball team earned its second win of the 2018 season, as the Pioneers defeated three-time defending MAAC champion and in-state rival Fairfield Wednesday evening. After four dramatic sets, the Pioneers secured the 3-1 (32-30, 30-28, 26-28, 18-25 ) win over the Stags on the road at Alumni Hall.

Liisel Nelis led Sacred Heart (2-1) with 14 kills and 15 points, while Julia Murawinski added 12 kills. Sarah Ciszek finished with seven kills and a career-high 38 assists.

First Set: SHU 32-30

- After falling behind 5-2, SHU scored four straight points to take a 6-5 lead, including back-to-back kills from Liisel Nelis.

- The two teams traded points and were tied at 25-25 before Gianna Scioletti scored a block at the net to put the Pioneers up 26-25.

- After SHU took the 26-25 lead, they never fell behind again in the set

- Once Fairfield tied the set at 30-30, Rianna McNamee recorded a kill off a Sarah Ciszek assist to give SHU the point.

- The Pioneers secured the set win after a Fairfield set error.

- Julia Murawinski and Nelis combined for nine kills in the set.

Second Set: SHU 30-28

SHU got off to a quick start, jumping to a 4-0 lead.

- The Stags stormed back and scored five-consecutive points to take a 5-4 lead.

- After falling behind 5-4, SHU scored six of the next seven points to force a Fairfield timeout.

- After Fairfield battled back to tie the match at 14-14, Fairfield went on a 6-1 run to take a 20-15 lead.

- Fairfield held set point at 24-21 but SHU battled back to tie the set at 24-24, capped by a Nelis kill.

- When the two teams were tied at 28-28 in tiebreakers, back-to-back kills from Murawinski and Ciszek sealed the Pioneer set win

Third Set: Fairfield 28-26

- SHU jumped out to an early 6-2 lead.

- Fairfield battled back to tie the contest at 7-7

- After being tied at 12-12, Fairfield went on an 8-3 run to take a 20-15 lead

- After falling behind 21-16, the Pioneers scored three-consecutive points to cut the deficit to 21-19 and forcing a Fairfield timeout.

- Out of the timeout, Sacred Heart scored three-straight points to take a 23-21 lead after a Nelis kill that forced another Fairfield timeout.

- Fairfield came out of the timeout and tied the contest at 23-23

- The two teams had to settle in tiebreakers for the third-straight set, where Fairfield eventually took it, 28-26

Fourth Set: SHU 25-16

- SHU jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, capped by a Kiley Ridgway kill.

- Despite pushback from Fairfield, Sacred Heart was able to extend its set lead to 15-8

- Fairfield battled to cut the SHU lead to 15-11 to force a Sacred Heart timeout.

- Fairfield cut the deficit to 16-14 before SHU went on a 5-1 run, capped by a Ciszek kill that forced a Fairfield timeout.

- Out of the timeout, Sacred Heart scored four-consecutive points to secure the set and match win.

SHU hit .124 for the match, while Fairfield (1-3) had a hit percentage of .119. Both SHU and Fairfield recorded 77 digs apiece and Julia Kallen led Fairfield with 13 kills.

The Pioneers will be back in action on Friday, August 31, when SHU travels to take on in-state foe Hartford on Yale's campus in New Haven. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m.