JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Saint Peter's volleyball team (5-10, 0-4 MAAC) fell to MAAC leader Fairfield (10-4, 4-0 MAAC) in four sets (18-25, 28-26, 19-25, 25-23) on Friday night at Run Baby Run Arena.
The Peacocks managed to take a set from the Stags, but Fairfield's offensive attack overpowered Saint Peter's in the long run to secure the victory. SPU had its fair share of bright moments, especially in set two when the Peacocks held the Stags to a .053 hitting percentage.
All season, the Saint Peter's front has posed a problem for opposing hitters and that didn't stop tonight as the Peacocks racked up 11 blocks. Leading the way were
Karolina T. Rodriguez Mendez, who finished with six blocks and
Valeria Torres, who finished with five.
Sibana Gonzalez Acevedo neared a double-double performance, tallying a team-high 15 kills and nine digs. Rodriguez Mendez added 12 kills offensively while hitting an impressive .381.
The Peacocks had a tough week of practice to prepare for this matchup, and it showed tonight as Saint Peter's never wavered when Fairfield made runs. Saint Peter's looks to bring the same energy against the Sacred Heart Pioneers tomorrow.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE: The Peacocks built an 8-6 lead over the Stags behind five kills, an ace and two Fairfield errors. A successful challenge by Fairfield's head coach changed a call to a kill, making it 7-8. After the review, Rodriguez Mendez picked up her second kill of the day to put the Peacocks up 10-8. As the set continued, the Stags clawed back for a 17-14 advantage, forcing an SPU timeout. Both teams were hitting well at the break, with the Peacocks hitting .417 and the Stags hitting .385. Fairfield began to pull away and reached set point on a Saint Peter's attack error. The Stags took set one, 25-18, following a block at the net.
SET TWO: The Stags scored the first three points of the set when a Fairfield attack error put the Peacocks on the board. Later on, kills by
Lara Martinez and
Valeria Pagan Munoz brought Saint Peter's within three, 4-6. Fairfield strung together three unanswered kills to go up 9-4 and force a Peacocks timeout. After talking it over, Saint Peter's went on a small run, making it 9-10. The Peacocks then tied it up at 12-12 after a Fairfield attack error. Gonzalez Acevedo recorded a kill to give Saint Peter's its first lead of set two at 17-16.
The Stags went on to score five of the next six points to regain control. Fairfield reached set point on an attack error, but the Peacocks responded by making it a one-point set at 23-24. After a Fairfield timeout, SPU tied it at 24-24. Saint Peter's took the lead, but the Stags quickly tied it up. A kill by Pagan Munoz gave the Peacocks set point before a Fairfield attack error led to SPU winning set two, 28-26.
SET THREE: Both teams traded points to a 6-6 tie before Fairfield scored on back-to-back plays to lead 8-6. As the set progressed, the Stags began to pull away when
Andrea Rodriguez notched back-to-back aces to put SPU up 14-13. Fairfield called a timeout to talk things over. The Stags came out of the break hot, going on a 6-0 scoring run and forcing a Saint Peter's timeout while up 19-14. The Peacocks were unable to come back in the set as Fairfield went up 2-1 following the 25-19 set win.
SET FOUR: It was a very competitive start to set four as both teams found themselves in an 11-all tie. After back-to-back Saint Peter's attack errors, the Peacocks called a timeout. They came back to tie it at 13-13 following a block by
Jaizahir Marrero George and Torres. Marrero George then picked up a kill to give Saint Peter's a 14-13 lead. Gonzalez Acevedo's 13th kill of the day made Fairfield call its first timeout of the set while trailing, 15-16. Down the stretch of set four, the Peacocks and Stags were tied, 20-20. The tie continued to 23-23 after both teams kept trading points. The Stags earned set point with a block and then won the set, 25-23, with a kill. Fairfield took the match in four sets, 3-1.
UP NEXT
The Peacocks are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 4, when they take on Sacred Heart at 1 p.m. ET.
NOTES
The Peacocks are now 9-54 all-time vs. Fairfield and 5-23 against the Stags at home…the Peacocks held the Stags to a .053 hitting percentage in set two…Rodriguez Mendez matched her career-high in kills (12)…Torres recorded her season-high in blocks (5.0).
