Loretto, Pa. - The Saint Francis volleyball team (1-16, 1-4 NEC) fell in three sets to LIU (5-11, 4-1 NEC) on Friday by scores of 18-25, 15-25, 22-25, despite eight kills and 13 digs from sophomore Madi Tyus (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch), and seven kills and four digs apiece from sophomores Keara McGraw (Austin, TX/James Bowie) and Nicole Adams (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa East).

Trailing 11-9 in the opening set, the Red Flash watched LIU reel off seven straight points. SFU clawed back to 22-17 after an Adams kills before LIU closed out the set.

Saint Francis started the second set strong, leading 4-1 after five points. LIU evened the score at 6-6 then went on an 8-0 run to stretch its lead to 14-6 and put the Red Flash in a 2-0 hole.

The Red Flash saved its best set for last, taking hte Sharks to the wire in set three. A McGraw kill and bad set from LIU put SFU in front 9-7. Adams stopped a 5-0 LIU run to make it 12-10 and SFU hung tough the rest of the way, pulling within two at 24-22 after another Adams kills before Karolina Nova closed out the match with a kill.

Senior Cecilia Esposito (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) tied her season-high with four blocks in the loss while junior Shannon Thomas (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria) finished with 24 assists and two blocks.

Saint Francis returns to DeGol Arena tomorrow with a game vs. Fairleigh Dickinson at 5 p.m.