The Iona College women’s volleyball team, vying for a top four finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) standings and a spot in the conference tournament, claimed victory at Fairfield for the first time in eleven seasons.

The Gaels (14-13 overall, 12-5 MAAC) defeated the Fairfield Stags in five sets (18-25, 25-19, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8). After being tied at eight midway through the fifth set, the Maroon & Gold reeled off the last seven points of the match to claim their first five-set win of the season.

Sophomore setter Natalie Ziskin compiled 47 assists. Senior outside hitter Alicja Pawelec amassed 20 kills and junior outside hitter Taylor Cembalisty posted 13 kills.

The win snapped Fairfield’s 12-game winning streak. Fairfield’s previous loss came at the hands of the Gaels. With the win, Iona moves into sole possession of fourth place. The Maroon & Gold are only one game behind first place Manhattan.

The win at Fairfield was preceded by the defeat of the Quinnipiac Bobcats in Hamden, Conn. The Gaels made quick work of the Bobcats, winning in three sets (25-13, 25-15, 25-17). Iona hit .309 for the match and held Quinnipiac to a .046 hitting percentage. In the first game, the Bobcats hit -.026.

Junior outside hitter Catrina Warren posted another double-double this season with 11 kills and 10 digs. Cembalisty and senior libero Madisyn Spence each recorded double-digit digs in the sweep.

“We knew what we had to do going into the game and we did it. [We] played like the [team] that deserves to go to MAAC [championship], and that’s pretty much it.” Warren said.

These two victories came on the heels of a five-set loss to Niagara on Nov. 2. The Purple Eagles defeated the Gaels (26-28, 21-25, 25-22, 25-14, 13-15), marking Iona’s first home loss of the year. This defeat snapped the team’s six-game winning streak. The Maroon & Gold had a huge day offensively, but could not find a way to pull out the win in the last set. Cembalisty posted a double-double (14 kills and 16 digs) along with sophomore outside hitter Katy Crouse (12 kills and 20 digs) and Ziskin (49 assists and 14 digs).

The previous day, Iona topped Canisius three games to zero (25-22, 25-23, 25-19). The team played very well defensively, recording nine team blocks while Spence had a huge game with 20 digs. Crouse led the offense with 10 kills and 10 digs.

Two days earlier, Iona traveled to Lawrenceville, N.J. to take on Rider University. Iona won in three sets (25-14, 25-23, 25-14). The Gaels held the Broncs to a .050 hitting percentage for the match. Pawelec paved the way with a game-high 11 kills, and Ziskin had a double-double with 28 assists and 11 digs. Cembalisty added 18 digs and Spence contributed with 15 digs.

Iona was scheduled to have a non-conference match with New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) on Nov. 13; the results were not available at press time.

The Maroon & Gold will wrap up the regular season on Nov. 16 when they host the first-place Manhattan Jaspers. With a win, the Gaels can secure a spot in the MAAC Tournament for the first time since 2010.

“I am so proud of the team,” head coach Jon Killingbeck said. “To finish strong it’s going to take a full team effort, but I know we have the team to get the job done.”