Box Score

Loretto, Pa- The Saint Francis men's volleyball team completed its two-match weekend with a 3-1 (25-21, 19-25, 26-24, 26-24) win over first place Princeton Saturday afternoon at DeGol Arena.
 
The Red Flash improved to 11-6 on the season and 5-2 in conference play while Princeton dropped its perfect EIVA record to 6-1 with an 8-8 mark overall.
 
How It Happened
 
First Set

• The Red Flash took an early four-point edge on Evan Feltz's (Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) kill and three Princeton attack errors to channel Dolly Parton to the tune of 9-5.  
• After a Princeton timeout, the Red Flash scored the next two points before the Tigers managed to close the gap at 14-12 thanks to a George Huhnmann kill.
• Five errors in the next 11 points costed the Tigers any chance of a comeback as the Red Flash pulled away to a 21-16 lead, forcing Princeton to call its last timeout.
• Princeton came out of the timeout and proceeded on a 5-1 run but it wasn't enough as the Red Flash would hold on to take set one.
• Set Score: SFU 25, PRIN 21- SFU leads 1-0

 
Second Set

• Both teams traded point for point in the early part of the second set until Princeton built a 14-10 lead on a kill and an ace.
• Saint Francis did pull within two at 14-12 but a service error and back to back kills eliminated any chance of a comeback.
• The Tigers maintained a three- or four-point lead before closing the set by six points.
• Set Score: PRIN 25, SFU 19- Match tied 1-1

Third Set

• Just like the second set, both teams exchanged point for point in the early part of the set.
• The Tigers would claim the first lead at 16-13 after back to back Red Flash service errors and a Huhnmann ace.
• The Red Flash rallied on the next three points to tie things at 16 before another point for point battle reoccurred.
• The teams traded points until Princeton had a 24-23 lead. The Tigers looked to have won the set after a long rally, but SFU would take advantage of an attack error to knot things at 24.
• A Fisher kill and a Princeton attack error gave the Red Flash the next two points to win the set.
• Set Score: SFU 26, PRIN 24- SFU leads 2-1 

Fourth Set

• Saint Francis took an early lead at 8-5 before Princeton bounced back with four of the next five points to put things at 10-10.
• Christian Graziano (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) and Fisher registered the next three kills which helped the Red Flash extend to a 14-11 lead.
• Both teams exchanged 10-straight side-out points late in the frame with Saint Francis coming out of the exchange with a 22-20 lead, forcing Princeton to a timeout.
• SFU gathered the first opportunity to close the set out but a Greg Luck kill helped Princeton tie it at 24-24.
• Back to back errors for Princeton turned the tide for the Red Flash and enabled them to take the set and match.
• Set Score: SFU 26, PRIN 24- SFU wins 3-1

Game Notes

• Fisher continued his offensive dominance with a match-high 18 kills for the Red Flash. He also hit .517 (18-3-29) while also coming up with four digs and two blocks.
• Feltz was the other Red Flash with double-digit kills with 11 while hitting .292 (11-4-24).
• Hayden Herc (Eden, N.Y./Eden) was the man in the middle with five blocks with Cole Carver (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) following with two.
• Ryan Alu (Pipersville, PA/Central Bucks West ) delivered some terrific passes while also leading the match with eight digs on 23 receives.
• BJ Blair (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater Raritan) commanded the offense with 38 assists on 76 total attempts.
• The Red Flash finished with a .478 (43-18-88) hitting percentage as the Tigers stayed close with a .454 (46-19-95) percentage.  
• First time this season the Red Flash hit .400 in back to back nights.

 
Up Next
The Red Flash will travel west for two matches against two top-10 opponents in #1 Long Beach State and #11 Cal State North Ridge.