For the third time in as many years, Quinnipiac volleyball will face off against Fairfield in the MAAC Championship game on Sunday afternoon.
The Bobcats won in 2022 as the No. 6 seed of the tournament, living out their Cinderella story over the then-No.1 Stags.
Last year, the again-No.1 Fairfield blocked then-No.2 Quinnipiac from l back-to-back titles at its home court.
And today at 1 p.m. these two teams will meet again in a repeat of last year as the No.1 and No.2 seeds of the tournament.
“We were waiting for this moment since last year,” junior outside hitter Yagmur Gunes said. “All of us are really excited to play, we are not nervous and I think we deserve the championship more than anything so we’re gonna go and get it.”
Fairfield has been dominating this season from the start. While the Bobcats sit at 15-3, the Stags almost went completely unbeaten, until Nov. 3, when the Bobcats scraped out a 3-2 win at their home den.
“I think when you have teams that are constantly at the top they almost start to create this kind of allure of this big bad monster or dragon,” head coach Kyle Robinson said. “So when you get to slay the dragon once this season, it brings a level of confidence. I know we won’t go into this match scared, asking ‘How do we beat Fairfield?’ We’ve already done it.”
Both teams entered the postseason well-decorated. Quinnipiac boasts two players in the All-MAAC First team in the form of junior setter Damla Gunes — also the Setter of the Year — and graduate student opposite Elena Giacomini — Player of the Year. Freshman libero Carola Negron Diaz earned her spot in the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
Fairfield, however, has Quinnipiac beat here. Freshman middle blocker Harlan Wyche joined Negron Diaz in the All-Rookie Team. Seniors setter Blakely Montgomery and outside hitter Mikayla Haut earned spots in the All-MAAC Second Team.
Three players join Giacomini and Damla Gunes in the All-MAAC First Team — juniors outside hitter Allie Elliott and middle blocker Maya Walker and sophomore opposite Mamie Krubally — and Fairfield’s head coach Nancy Somera earned the Coach of the Year award.
So on paper, it seems pretty straightforward who would be predicted to win.
But the Bobcats are very well known for scraping out impossible wins. They proved it time and time again before and they are nothing if not determined to prove it again — despite all odds.
“It’s a long season,” Robinson said. “We got two girls who are sick, some injuries, (we have to) fight through it. It takes a lot of grit, especially this time of the year.”
Quinnipiac also maintained most of its roster from last year — only losing outside hitter Aryanah Diaz and middle blocker Lexi Morse — and so did Fairfield — aside from the few new players both teams picked up.
But even they know what’s at stake here.
“I think Fairfield is for sure one of the best teams of the MAAC and I think they have a great game, great players,” Giacomini said. “But I am not ready to say that they are unbeatable because we have proven that they are not. To me, they are gonna be just another team.”
Bottom line — one can’t really predict how this game will go. Quinnipiac has its ups and downs when it comes to its performance but then the Bobcats were the only ones able to pull the rug from under the Stags, so who can really say?
It all depends on which team will want it more.
“Enjoy this moment and get ready for war tomorrow,” Robinson said. “We earned this win tonight, but this win is over and now we got another one to hunt down. We’re gonna get some rest, get up and do it all again tomorrow.”
