Flash Points:     

• Kelsey Roush (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) led four players in double figures with 17 kills
• Jenna Veres (Independence, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) had a team high 31 digs
• Amelia Metzler (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield) had four aces to go along with 49 assists

TEANECK, N.J.-  Kelsey Roush (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) had a match-high 17 kills but FDU rallied back from two sets down to shock the Red Flash in five sets, taking the deciding fifth set 15-7. 

Saint Francis jumped out to an early first-set lead and led wire-to-wire. A pair of Breanna Opera (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster ) kills gave SFU a two-point lead at 7-5 and never let the Knights draw even in the set. SFU built a 19-13 lead and held off a five-point Knights' rally. Another Opera kill ended the streak and a block by Sophia Esposito (Coraopolis, PA/Montour (Gardner-Webb)) helped spark a run for the Flash as they won four of the final five points to take the first set at 25-20. 

In the second, the Flash erased an early 4-1 FDU lead and went on to dominate the set, winning 25-11. Kelsey Roush (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) had a key service run that included a pair of aces as SFU grabbed a 10-5 lead. Breanna Opera (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster ) had a run of four service points that included an ace and Amelia Metzler (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield) ran off nine-straight points as the Flash made quick work of the set. Their defense set the tone in the second, holding FDU to a -.154 hitting percentage. 

The Knights began their comeback in the third set. Again FDU jumped out to an early lead, but the Flash rallied back with four-straight points to knot the match at seven. The teams would trade points and neither team led by more than two points throughout the set. After a pair of FDU points put them up 24-22, the Flash used a timeout and rallied back to tie the match at 24 off an Emily Marcinowski (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) kill. However, an attack and service error followed for the Flash as FDU forced a fourth set with a 26-24 victory. 

Set four started streaky as FDU won the first five points only to see Saint Francis rally with four straight and eventually rallying to take an 8-7 lead. The teams continued to trade three and four point runs throughout the set as neither team could sustain momentum. An ace and kill by Metzler broke up a late FDU run and closed the Flash with in one at 23-22, looking to end the match. SFU could never get closer than a point in the final stages of the fourth set as FDU held off the run to win 25-23 and send the match to a deciding fifth set. 

Fairleigh Dickinson grabbed momentum early in the final set, winning six of the first seven points. The Flash called timeout to try to stop the rally but could never get on track in the fifth set. The Knights controlled the final set, hitting .421 and never allowing Saint Francis to get within five points after the early timeout, closing out the comeback with a 15-7 win in the fifth. 

The loss drops SFU to 0-4 in the NEC and 4-13 overall. FDU picks up their first NEC win to move to 1-3 and are 2-18 overall. The Red Flash are at home next weekend, hosting the Brooklyn schools on Saturday and Sunday. First up are the Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn on Saturday, match time is set for 2 p.m.