Fairfield Sweeps Final Weekly Volleyball Awards of 2016
MAAC Sports
Player of the Week
Megan Theiller, Fairfield
Jr., OH, Hopewell Junction, NY/ John Jay-East Fishkill High School
Megan Theiller turned a record-breaking performance as a part of a 2-0 week that saw the Stags cap the first 18-0 MAAC regular season since 2006. The junior co-captain had 30 kills (.317) in a 3-1 win over Quinnipiac on Saturday - the most in Fairfield history during the rally scoring era. The feat marks the seventh 30-kill day by a Stag in the overall record book and the first since 2000. Theiller added 21 digs to register Fairfield’s first 20-20 match since 2007. Earlier in the week, she notched another double-double with 16 kills (.250) and 11 digs in a 3-2 win at Stony Brook. For the week, Theiller averaged 5.11 kills per set on .290 hitting with 3.56 digs per frame. She filled out her statline with five blocks and a service ace.
Libero of the Week
Mallory Bechtold, Fairfield
So., Libero, Cincinnati, OH/Ursuline Academy
Mallory Bechtold helmed the back row in all nine sets of action as Fairfield improved its winning streak to 20 matches and capped off the first 18-0 MAAC regular season since 2006. She averaged 4.11 per set from the libero spot to go along with three assists and three service aces. Bechtold posted 14 digs, two assists and two aces in the 3-2 win at Stony Brook on Wednesday. In Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Quinnipiac, she led all players with 23 digs as well as one assist and one ace. Bechtold’s defensive efforts helped the Stags limit the Seawovles and Bobcats to a combined .171 hitting percentage.
Rookie of the Week
Manuela Nicolini, Fairfield
Fr., S, Castelnuovo Rangone, Italy/Istituto d’Arte A. Venturi
Manuela Nicolini helped to lead the Fairfield attack in a pair of wins as the Stags improved their winning streak to 20 matches and capped off the first 18-0 MAAC regular season since 2006. In victories over Stony Brook and Quinnipiac, she averaged 7.33 assists and 1.44 digs per frame, adding two blocks and three kills to her statline. In Wednesday’s 3-2 win at Stony Brook, she posted a double-double with 37 assists, 10 digs, two kills and a block. In the 3-1 victory over Quinnipiac on Saturday, Nicolini handed out 29 assists with three digs, a kill and a block. Her efforts from the setter spot guided the Stags’ offense to a .204 attack percentage for the week.