FLASH POINTS:

• Emily Marcinowski (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) posted a double double with 15 kills and 20 digs
• Alexis Lambert (McKinney, Tx./McKinney-Boyd) and Kelsey Roush (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) each posted double doubles as well
• Jenna Veres (Independence, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) had 34 digs in the three sets
• Sophia Esposito (Coraopolis, PA/Montour (Gardner-Webb)) totaled five blocks

 
LORETTO, PA- Saint Francis and LIU battled through three back-and-forth sets with LIU coming out victorious 26-24, 25-22, 25-22 on Saturday night inside DeGol Arena.
 
The match had 36 ties across the three sets and the teams combined for 186 digs, led by Jenna Veres (Independence, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) who had 34 for SFU and Natalia Rivera, who had 33 for LIU. Those two players will add to their already NEC-leading defensive numbers.  
 
McMULLEN REACTION
"That was a close, tough match with a lot of long rallies," head coach Sara McMullen said. "Credit LIU for winning some of those key, long rallies and points but I am proud of how we battled and played tonight, we'll shake this one off and get ready for next weekend."
 
FIRST SET RECAP

• The Red Flash and Blackbirds started the back-and-forth affair right out of the gate as neither team could build a lead of more than three points early on
• SFU erased the three-point LIU lead with a kill from Kelsey Roush (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) and the defense forcing a pair of attack errors
• The teams then traded the next 20 points with neither team gaining more than a point lead
• LIU looked to grab control of the set, scoring three-straight to go up 23-20
• SFU rallied behind two Cecilia Esposito (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) kills to knot the match at 24
• The Blackbirds scored the final two points of the set to take it, 26-24

 
SECOND SET RECAP

• SFU raced out to a 7-3 thanks to kills from Lambert and a Cecilia Esposito (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) block, forcing an LIU timeout
• LIU rallied back to tie the match at 10
• SFU forced a second LIU timeout with three-straight points on back-to-back blocks from Emily Marcinowski (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan)
• The Blackbirds again rallied back to tie the match at 22
• Out of an SFU timeout, LIU won the final three points of the set to take it 25-22

 
THIRD SET RECAP

• Once again, neither team could pull away, with the teams trading the first 18 points and neither team leading by more than a point
• LIU built a two-point lead only to see SFU rally back behind a pair of Sophia Esposito (Coraopolis, PA/Montour (Gardner-Webb)) blocks
• SFU would build a pair of two-point leads, only to see LIU rally back to tie the match
• A Marcinowski kill put SFU up 22-20 and forced an LIU timeout
• The Blackbirds rallied to win the final five points of the set, and take the match

 
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash are back on the road for three-straight matches. The road trip starts Friday at Fairleigh Dickinson, first serve is at 5 p.m.