Box Score

Belmont, N.C.- The Saint Francis men's volleyball team battled point-for-point with the Belmont Abbey Crusaders but came up short in the end with a 3-1 defeat (22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 19-25) in non-conference action Saturday evening at Wheeler's Center.
 
The Red Flash fall to .500 at 5-5 overall on the season. The Crusaders improved to 6-3.
 
First Set

• After trading points early in the set, the Red Flash built the first multi-point lead of the match at 6-3 on two-straight points from Belmont Abbey errors.
• The Crusaders immediately tied the game at 6-6 before another three-straight points put the Crusaders up 9-7.
• Belmont Abbey gradually built onto its lead at 15-11 and forced SFU to call its first timeout of the set.
• Following the timeout, Belmont Abbey managed to not let their lead dip below four until a quick SFU burst capped by back to back kills from Hayden Herc (Eden, N.Y./Eden) and Patrick Bryan (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) put the Red Flash within one, 23-22.
• Back to back SFU errors would help Belmont Abbey take the first set.
• End of Set One- BAU 25, SFU 22: BAU leads 1-0

 
Second Set

• Both teams traded points early in the set as SFU held a slight lead 10-8.
• The Crusader's would eventually muster together a 4-1 run to regain the lead at 12-11 before SFU stormed back with a 4-1 run to lead 15-13.
• The Red Flash never looked back as back to back aces from Cole Thompson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Alamitos), extended SFU lead to 21-15.
• A block from Roman Szwabinsky (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South ) and Herc closed the second set in favor of the Red Flash.
• End of Set Two- SFU 25, BAU 19: Match tied at 1-1

 
Third Set

• Much like the first two sets, both teams traded point for point until Belmont Abbey rallied four-straight points to take a 15-12 lead.
• The Crusaders continued to apply pressure until the Red Flash regained momentum to tie the game at 23 and force Belmont Abbey to call a timeout.
• Belmont Abbey successfully converted on back to back kills out of the timeout to take a set three win.
• End of Set Three- BAU 25, SFU 23: BAU leads 2-1

 
Fourth Set

• Belmont Abbey strung together the first run of the second set with three in a row to lead 8-4.
• SFU would answer back with the next five of six points to tie the game at 9.
• Four-straight points off an ace, kill and error would help Belmont Abbey jump out to a 13-9 lead and force SFU to call a timeout.
• A pair of Christian Graziano (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) kills helped pull the Red Flash within five at 21-16, but it proved to be too little too late as the Crusaders would take the set and match.
• End of Fourth Set- BAU 25, SFU 19: BAU wins 3-1

 
Notes

• The second straight night the Red Flash struggled with service errors with 20 over four sets against 10 aces. SFU hit .191 (44-22-115) for the match.
• Belmont Abbey hit .273 as a team for the match (44-17-99).
• Michael Fisher (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Pepperdine)) and Bryan led the Red Flash in kills with 12 a piece on 65 total attacks.
• Thompson followed in second with 11 kills while providing a team-high three aces in four sets of work.
• Gabe Woffindin (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) contributed on the defensive side with nine digs as Herc added two blocks.
• Liam Maxwell led the Crusaders with 19 kills and a .410 hitting percentage.

 
Next Up
The Red Flash will finish off the weekend tomorrow, February 10, with another road match against Queens University of Charlotte at 2 p.m.