NEWARK, N.J. – The No. 15 Saint Francis men's volleyball lost in five sets to NJIT in conference play on Friday night at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center. The Flash fell, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18,18-25 and 13-15.

Saint Francis drops to 14-8 overall and 5-4 in the EIVA, while NJIT and improves to 8-13 on the season and 7-3 in the EIVA.

Jeff Hogan (Northern Cambria, Pa./Northern Cambria) finished with 17 kills to lead the Flash, Stephen Braswell (Manchester, Pa./Northeastern) added 14 and Keith Kegerreis (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) recorded 10. Mike Marshman (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) posted a .615 hitting percentage and added nine kills. Gabe Woffindin (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) had a team-high 16 digs and Daniel Ford (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) recorded 49 assists.  

"We played tough. NJIT had their stars raise the bar in the fourth and fifth sets. Good win for NJIT," said head coach Mike Rumbaugh.

SFU traded points with NJIT in the fifth set but the Flash found themselves with an 8-6 lead. NJIT strung together three straight points to take a 9-8 lead. The score would remain tight before NJIT scored the final two points to take the set and the match, 15-13.

NJIT took an early 5-2 lead in the first set. The Flash went on a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to one at 19-18. SFU rattled off three unanswered points to take their first lead of the match at 21-20. A Braswell kill gave the Flash the first set, 25-22.

The Highlanders took control of the second set by jumping out to an early 13-6 lead. NJIT extended their lead to 18-13, but the Flash battled back to pull within one at 21-20. The Highlanders would score the last two points to close out the set, 25-21.

Both teams traded points in the third set until SFU took charge with a 4-0 run and forced NJIT to call a timeout. The Flash stretched its lead to nine at 19-10. Saint Francis never looked back and took the third set, 25-18.

Saint Francis and NJIT would exchange points early in the fourth set. The Highlanders would eventually take a 15-12 lead. NJIT would run away with the fourth set, 25-18.

Saint Francis returns to action tomorrow against Princeton at 4 p.m. The match will be lived streamed on The Ivy League Digital Network.