Box Score

NEWARK, N.J. (March 24, 2012) – After downing Rutgers-Newark in straight sets the previous night, the Saint Francis University men's volleyball team fell to the New Jersey Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon in four (25-18, 20-25, 18-25, 23-25).

The Red Flash (10-12, 5-4 EIVA) took the opening set from NJIT (9-12, 4-3 EIVA) after building up a commanding 20-12 point lead as the set neared its end. A final service error by the Highlanders gave SFU the 1-0 lead in the match.

Unfortunately for the Flash, NJIT stormed back and took the next three sets. The majority of set number two was tightly contested with Saint Francis coming to within one point of NJIT at 20-19. The Highlanders pushed forward though for five of the last six points scored in the set to even the match at one set apiece.

Saint Francis attempted to make a charge in the third set after being down by five past the halfway point. With the score set at 19-14 NJIT, SFU strung together four consecutive points to reach within one. NJIT would not falter though after calling a timeout and registered six consecutive points of its own to take the third set by a seven point advantage.

In what proved to be the final set of the match, the Red Flash had the best shot at overtaking NJIT since they opened up with a set win. Saint Francis had the set tied at 22 all but two kills from the Highlanders TJ Jurko and an attack error on the Red Flash propelled NJIT to the set and match win. Jurko finished with a match-high 14 kills.

Adam Roche (Cochranton, Pa./Cochranton) led the team both in offense and defense by registering a team-high nine kills and six total blocks (one solo, five assisted). Senior setter Ryan Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) dished out 37 assists in the loss.

Saint Francis hits the road again next weekend for two EIVA matches starting Friday at 7 p.m. when they battle George Mason.