MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. - The Saint Francis men's volleyball team fell in the season opener at the University of Mount Olive on Friday night in three sets. The Flash dropped sets 20-25, 21-25, 21-25.

SFU falls to 0-1 on the season, while Mount Olive starts out the season, 1-0.

Brandon Buck (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) led the Flash with nine kills while Mike Marshman (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) tallied eight. Keith Kegerreis (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) finished with five kills on seven attempts and contributed with a .714 hitting percentage. Daniel Ford (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) dished out 26 assists and led the squad with five digs.

Both teams exchanged points early in the opening set. The Trojans would gain control and jump out to an 8-4 lead – causing a Flash timeout. SFU would cut the deficit to 19-16. However, the Flash could not overcome the deficit and Mount Olive came away with the opening set, 25-20.

The Flash opened the second set up, 3-0. SFU moved to an 8-3 advantage after a Buck block. UMO would even the score at 16 before the Trojans moved out to an 18-16 lead. Saint Francis stormed back after trailing 21-18 and would pull within one point at 22-21. The Trojans would end the set on a 3-0 run and grabbed the second set, 25-21.

UMO went ahead, 8-6, in the third set. The Flash would tie the score at 10 and 12 before Mount Olive gained a 17-14 advantage. The Flash pulled within three at 24-21 but could not rally as the Trojans took the set and the game, 25-21.

"The area that I thought we were going to be the best at was service-receive, but that was probably our worst," said head coach Mike Rumbaugh.  

The Flash look to get in the win column on Saturday at Barton College starting at 7 p.m.