LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis men's volleyball team concludes its regular season home schedule this weekend, hosting No. 10 NJIT for Friday and Saturday matches.
The match on Saturday, which begins at 4:00 p.m., will also be Senior Day, where the Red Flash will honor soon-to-be graduates Michael Fisher, Jason Najm, Daniel Fry, Roman Szwabinsky, and Christian Griego.
The Matchup: Saint Francis (5-16, 4-10), vs. No. 10 NJIT (11-5, 11-3)
Location: DeGol Arena (Loretto, Pa.)
Game 1: Friday, April 2 – 7:00 p.m.
Watch: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Game 2: Saturday, April 3 – 4:00 p.m. (Senior Day)
Watch: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
NJIT comes into the weekend ranked No. 10 in the AVCA poll, its highest ranking in program history. Last weekend, the Highlanders matches against Charleston were canceled, making Friday's match their first in 13 days. NJIT's last matches came against No. 9 Penn State, with the Nittany Lions taking both matches, 3-0.
The Highlanders offense is led by Julian Meissner and Alvaro Gimeno, who have totaled 359 combined kills, over half the team's total. The two sit second and fourth in the conference in kills, and Gimeno is third in hitting percentage. The duo also ranks second and fourth with 0.43 and 0.39 aces per set.
Defensively, the Highlanders lead the conference with 2.23 blocks per set. In the middle is Luca Berger, who ranks first in the EIVA with 1.12 blocks per set and first in total blocks with a line of 9-48-57. Martin de Chavarria also ranks in the top-five of the conference with a 15-30-45 block line.
SERIES HISTORY
NJIT leads, 30-22. Currently, the Highlanders have won four-straight against the Red Flash and five of the last six. The last Saint Francis win came in 2019, a sweep in Loretto.
FIRST TIME AROUND
Saint Francis traveled to Newark, N.J. the last weekend of February this season, falling to the Highlanders, 3-0, in both matches.
LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend, the Red Flash fell in both matches to No. 15 George Mason. On Friday, SFU took the Patriots to five sets, barely dropping the last set, 15-12. In the match, Michael Fisher picked up a season-high 25 kills in front of the first Red Flash audience of the season. On Saturday, Mason swept Saint Francis, winning each set by an average of three points.
EIVA RANKINGS
As a team, Saint Francis ranks third in the conference in aces (1.47/set), digs (8.89/set), and blocks (1.85/set). The Red Flash also leads the conference in total blocks (150), aces (119), kills (849), and digs (720).
Individually, Michael Fisher leads the conference with 199 total kills, and ranks second with 3.83 kills per set. Roman Szwabinsky sits at fourth with 8.29 assists per set.
Defensively, Joshua Blair is second in the EIVA with a 6-48-54 block line, and Thomas Leahey is third with a 5-40-45 line. Leahey is also second in the EIVA with 0.90 blocks per set. Matthew Menosky is second in the conference with 115 digs, and AJ Schmidt has just cracked the top-five with 94.
RED FLASH STATISTICAL LEADERS
KILLS – Michael Fisher (3.83/set)
ASST – Roman Szwabinsky (8.29/set)
DIGS – Blake Liprando (1.67/set)
BLOCKS – Thomas Leahey (0.90/set)
SERVICE ACES – Michael Fisher (0.35/set)
UP NEXT
Saint Francis will conclude its regular season next weekend, making a trip to Fairfield, Conn. to play two against Sacred Heart. Matches are set for Friday, April 9 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 10 at 4 p.m. Following the regular season, the Red Flash will play in the first round of the EIVA Conference Tournament. Seeding, time, and location are TBD.
Follow Saint Francis Men's Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash.
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.
