Hartford Box Score
Lafayette Box Score

EASTON, Pa. (Sept. 17, 2011) – Following a solid 3-1 victory over Lafayette (26-24, 20-25, 25-15, 25-20) Saturday afternoon at the Lehigh and Lafayette Tournament, head coach Chuck Mullen earned his 100^th career coaching victory, now in his ninth season. This marks his 34^th win with the Flash in four seasons.

"It's a humbling honor to reach,” Mullen said. “You don't get these honors without good players and I've been very blessed to get to do what I love doing with the players that I've coached so far in my career. I would like to thank all of my players, family and friends for their support and efforts."

With the opening set tied at 14, the Red Flash (5-10) began to build up a lead as the match passed halfway, and never trailed again in the set. The Leopards (7-5) fought back, however, and tied it up once again at 24, but thanks to a Lafayette service error and a final kill by junior Lauren Wingard (York, Pa./Dallastown Area), SFU pulled out the first set win.

Early in the second set, Saint Francis looked poised to dominate the frame as they recorded five consecutive points behind the serving efforts of middle blocker Elizabeth Williams (North Bend, Ohio/Saint Ursula). Lafayette came roaring back halfway through, going on a nine-point run to take a lead they would not forfeit in the set. The Flash made small charges to overtake the Leopards, but it was not enough to go ahead, and the match became tied at one set apiece.

In terms of attack percentage, the third set proved to be SFU's most sound frame of action as they racked up a team .357 mark. The set remained even for the majority between the two clubs, until Saint Francis reached a five-point run that the Leopards could not recover from. With the score set at 20-15 Red Flash, they again went on another five-point run to secure the third set win and put them up 2-1 in the match.

Set number four, what would become the final set of the match, had a similar feel to it as the previous set. Saint Francis posted 18 of its 25 points as kills in the set. Just like the third set, it continued to be evenly played until the Flash came across five consecutive points late, to assure them the set and match win.

"I'm very proud of the way the team bounced back in this match. We gave a few different players a shot in this match and they did a great job,” Mullen said. “When this team puts their best foot forward, we play beautiful volleyball and now it's time for us to shift our attention to the challenges of Northeast Conference matches."

On the stat sheet, many members of the team put up season-high marks in a bundle of categories. Sophomore Breanna Kochinsky (Nicktown, Pa./Northern Cambria) posted her second double-double of the season when she picked up a season-high and match-high 14 kills, added to her 15 dig total. Freshman Alanna Blenkarn (Pickering, Ontario, Canada/Pickering) also got in on the double-double scoring action, the first of her collegiate career with 11 kills and 13 digs, both personal season-highs for her. Wingard was the third Flash member to reach the double digit mark in kills as she recorded 13 and a .391 attack percentage, her second highest total so far this season.

Sophomore libero Brittany Stambaugh (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley) led the defensive effort for the Flash by accumulating 17 digs. Classmate setter Logan Meinert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) chipped in 46 assists during the match, her fourth over-40 assist performance of the year. Along with her assist total, Meinert collected a season-high 14 digs as well. One additional season-high performance from the Lafayette match, came from junior outside hitter Danielle Reese (Port Matilda, Pa./Bald Eagle Area), who registered 10 digs.

Earlier in the afternoon, Saint Francis took part in a neutral site match with Hartford that saw a straight sets win (18-25, 17-25, 13-25) for the Hawks (9-7). The Red Flash was able to hang close with Hartford for a good portion of the opening set, until the Hawks began to put some space between the two scores. In the remaining two sets, Hartford got off to two quick starts and the Flash was unable to make up ground as the sets continued.

Williams posted a team-high six kills in the match. Setter Kierstin Kiser (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) registered 22 assists and Stambaugh led the team in digs with seven.

SFU finished fourth in the standings, out of six teams who participated in the Lehigh and Lafayette Tournament, going 1-2 in its three matches played. Wingard and Williams were both selected to the All-Tournament team for their performances over the weekend. Wingard recorded 21 kills, .a 277 attack percentage and five blocks for the three matches, while Williams reached 15 kills, four service aces, seven digs and three blocks.

Saint Francis is set to begin conference play next weekend when it travels to Brooklyn, N.Y. The Red Flash will participate in a weekend series in the 'Big Apple', beginning first with St. Francis (N.Y.) Sept. 24, and Long Island the following day, both matches scheduled to start at 1 p.m.