PITTSBURGH, Pa. (August 29, 2008) – Senior Keshia Gibbs (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) (Dumfries, Va. / Forest Park) hit .448 with a match-high 14 kills to lead the Saint Francis women's volleyball team to a season-opening 3-1 victory over Marist on Friday afternoon at the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational at the Palumbo Center on the campus of Duquesne University.

The win marked the first Division I victory for first-year head coach Chuck Mullen, who joined SFU from Division III Coker.

However, the Red Flash dropped a 3-0 decision to Duquesne later in the day. SFU (1-1) dropped the second match by 25-14, 25-16, 25-21 scores. The Red Flash will stay in Pittsburgh for two more matches on Saturday against Loyola and Robert Morris.

Senior Kristin Buter (Bowie, MD/Bowie) (Bowie, Md. / Bowie) pitched in 13 kills and 5 blocks in the 25-21, 16-25, 27-25, 26-24 victory. Junior Shirley Miller (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) (Fairless Hills, Pa. / Pennsbury) added 12 kills, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, while sophomore Alexa Ebert (Titusville, PA/Titusville) (Titusville, Pa. / Titusville) dished out 41 assists and had 6 digs.

The Red Flash and Red Foxes traded leads during the first half of the first game eventually sitting at a 15-15 tie. But SFU ran off five straight points to secure a 20-15 lead in the first-to-25 wins set. Marist mounted a comeback to pull within three points at 23-20, but the Red Flash finished it off to take Game 1, 25-21.

Marist jumped out to an early 9-3 lead in Game 2 only to see Saint Francis pull back within 18-15. However, the Red Foxes' hot hitting allowed them to pull away to take the second set 25-16 behind a .346 hitting percentage in the game.

Miller started the Red Flash offense in Game 3 with three quick kills that got SFU out to an 8-3 lead. The Red Flash led 21-14, but Marist mounted a comeback to get back within two points at 21-19 and then eventually tied it at 22-22. SFU won the next two points to set up game-point, but a service error kept the Red Foxes alive as they were able to tie it at 24-24 before putting the Red Flash on their heals at 25-24. Ebert's solo block tied it at 25-25 and SFU won it on back-to-back kills to make it 27-25.

Marist was able to keep the game close in the fourth set despite being outhit .262-.022. Saint Francis held a 17-12 lead, only to see Marist go on an 11-4 run to put SFU behind 23-21. Buter and Gibbs took over with four kills in the next six points to give the Red Flash the 26-24 win in Game 4 to take the match.

Miller led the way with 9 kills and 7 digs in the match against the Dukes. Buter had 8 kills and 8 digs, and junior Rikki Myers (Noblesville, IN/Westfield) (Noblesville, Ind. / Westfield) had 21 assists. Gibbs had 4 kills and 5 blocks, and sophomore Lindsay Malloy (Gallitzin, Pa./Penn Cambria) (Gallitzen, Pa. / Penn Cambria) served up 4 aces.