FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Oct. 9, 2010) - The Saint Francis women's volleyball team posted a fantastic first set but were unable to overcome the league-best Sacred Heart Pioneers, falling 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 14-25, 21-25) in Fairfield on Saturday. 

The loss snapped a two-match win streak for the Red Flash, who fall to 4-14 overall with a 2-3 record in the Northeast Conference.  Sacred Heart improves to 15-4 overall, with a 5-0 record in the NEC.

The Pioneers received four of a possible nine first-place votes in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, and that factor must have inspired the Red Flash to play one of their best first sets of the 2010 season.  SFU hit a blistering .314 in the first set, committing just two errors in comparison to 13 kills.  Meanwhile, the Pioneers hit just .225 in that set, and the Red Flash were able to poach the opening set from the hosts by a score of 25-23.

The second set mirrored the first, as this time the Pioneers were able to control the action wit ha 25-23 score.  After falling 25-14 in the third set to trail the match 2-1, the Red Flash battled back in the fourth set.  However, they were unable to overcome the deficit and ultimately fell 25-21 in the set, 3-1 in the match.

Amanda Zahumensky (Sarver, Pa./Freeport Area) (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) had the match-high in kills for the Red Flash, recording 10 kills on a .179 hitting percentage.  Lizzy Williams (North Bend, Ohio/Saint Ursula) had a very strong match, recording seven kills while hitting .333 and also adding a match-high six blocks.  Lindsay Malloy (Gallitzin, Pa./Penn Cambria) (Gallitzin, Pa./Penn Cambria) contributed nine kills and five blocks.  Kierstin Kiser (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) posted a double-double of 30 assists and 15 digs.