Malibu, Calif. – In its first-ever match against the #9 Pepperdine Waves (7-6, 3-2 MPSF) the Red Flash men's volleyball team (5-13, 2-5 EIVA) fell, 3-0.

Set One

·         The teams opened up neck and neck, trading points and staying within one until the Red Flash took a 10-8 lead.

·         SFU got the lead up to three, but Pepperdine answered and took the lead 13-12.

·         The set stayed close and the teams found themselves tied at 18. From there, the Waves scored seven of the last eight points for the set win.

·         Michael Fisher (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), Blake Liprando (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley HS) and AJ Schmidt (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) each had three kills with help from 11 Szwabinsky assists.

·         Final Score: #9 Pepperdine 25, SFU 19 (Pepperdine leads 1-0).

Set Two

·         Pepperdine went up 3-0 early, but SFU channeled the run and quickly went back up 5-4.

·         The set stayed close again, with no lead more than two until a Pepperdine took a 12-9 lead.

·         The Waves maintained and extended their lead, reaching a lead of seven and winning the set by the same.

·         AJ Schmidt (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) led the Red Flash with five kills in the frame and Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area HS) picked up three.

·         Szwabinsky added nine assists.

·         Final Score: #9 Pepperdine 25, SFU 19 (Pepperdine leads 2-0).

Set Three

·         For the third set in a row, the teams stayed close for a while, this time staying within two points until Pepperdine took a 20-17 lead.

·         From that point, the Waves beat SFU 5-3 for the five-point win.

·         Fisher led with five kills and Szwabinsky picked up nine more assists.

·         Final Score: #9 Pepperdine 25, SFU 20 (Pepperdine wins 3-0).

Box Score Notes

·         Michael Fisher (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led SFU with 10 kills. AJ Schmidt (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) added eight and Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area HS) tied a career-high with six kills.

·         Roman Szwabinsky (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South) led the match with 29 assists.

·         Three players picked up six digs for SFU – AJ Schmidt (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny), Szwabinsky and Ryan Alu (Pipersville, PA/Central Bucks West).

·         Kills: SFU 35, Pepp. 32

·         Hit %: Pepp. .293, SFU .176

·         Total Blocks: Pepp. 9, SFU 3

Up Next

SFU has the next 12 days off, with its next competition coming on Thursday, March 19 in Loretto against Purdue Fort Wayne. The match is set for 7 pm.