Loretto, Pa.- In a back-and-forth battle between two evenly matched opponents, the Saint Francis men's volleyball team (3-3, 0-1 EIVA) came up just short in a five-set thriller against Lindenwood (2-4) 3-2 (22-25, 30-28, 16-25, 25-20, 13-15) Friday evening at Degol Arena.
 
The Red Flash bounced back after dropping set one and three by topping the Lions in the second and fourth sets. In the deciding fifth set, SFU battled back from a three-point deficit to tie the game twice before Lindenwood closed the match on a three-one run.
 
How It Happened
 
First Set

• Both teams exchanged points early in the first set. SFU broke out on a three-point run to take an early 12-9 lead and forced Lindenwood to call its first timeout.
• The Red Flash did not back down out of the timeout, extending its lead to 15-11 thanks to back to back points from Hayden Herc (Eden, N.Y./Eden) and Patrick Bryan (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus).
• Lindenwood was not phased as they clawed back to tie the match at 19.
• With the score tied at 19-19, both teams fought tooth and nail to the very end before Nick Stevenson put away the set with a kill
• Set Score: 25-22 Lindenwood
• Lindenwood leads 1-0

 
Second Set

• SFU came out on fire in set two and put together a five-point run to lead 10-4.
• The Lions scored four of the next five points to pull back within two and eventually tie the game at 14.
• The teams traded points until SFU had a 24-23 lead. The Red Flash looked to turn the corner but an attack error forced another tie at 24-24.
• Both teams had three opportunities to close the set that was stalled. After a kill from Michael Fisher (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Pepperdine)) to tie the game at 28-28, two Lindenwood attack errors helped SFU to its first set win.
• Set Score: SFU 30, SFU 28
• Match tied 1-1

 
Third Set

• Lindenwood scored eight-straight points to lead 9-3 early on.
• The Lions managed to not let their lead dip and led by as much as 10 at 24-14.
• Michael Jennings finished the set with a kill and managed to hit .429 on seven attacks.
• Set Score: Lindenwood 25, SFU 16
• Lindenwood leads 2-1

 
 
Fourth Set

• Five attack errors helped SFU get off to an early 11-5 lead.
• Lindenwood managed to pull back within three points after a pair of kills plus a few Red Flash mistakes.
• A kill from Cole Thompson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Alamitos) and back to back Lindenwood attack errors helped extend SFU lead to 18-13.
• SFU sustained its lead and closed out the set with two-straight Thompson kills.
• Set Score: SFU 25-Lindenwood 20
• Matched tied at 2-2

 
Fifth Set

• Neither team led by more than three in the final set as both teams battled back and forth.
• Lindenwood led 5-3 and 7-4 courtesy of two kills from Connor Hipelius, but SFU fought back and tied the game at 9.
• SFU tied the score again at 10, but the Lions closed the match behind questionable block from Hipelius which was reviewed in favor of the Lions.
• Set Score: Lindenwood 15, SFU 13
• Lindenwood wins match 3-2

 
Game Notes

• Fisher and Thompson led the Red Flash with 21 kills each on 84 total attempts.
• Fisher contributed on the defensive end with four digs as Thompson had two crucial aces late in the match.
• BJ Blair (Bridgewater, Pa./Bridgewater Raritan) had 44 assists to go along with a team-leading five digs.
• Cole Carver (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) anchored the middle by knocking down eight blocks.
• Lindenwood's Connor Hipelius led the Lions with 14 kills. He hit .450 on the night (14-5-20).

 
Up Next
The Red Flash will look to bounce back tomorrow by hosting McKendree in DeGol Arena at 1 p.m.