WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Saint Francis University men's volleyball defeated the Royals of Queens University of Charlotte on Friday in straight sets to go 7-4 overall.
 
Blake Liprando (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led the Red Flash men's volleyball squad in kills and digs with 13 and nine, respectively. Liprando also dropped a service ace for the Red Flash.
 
Ryan Parker (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) put up four service aces in the game to match his career single game high which he achieved earlier this season against Purdue Fort Wayne. While Joshua Blair (Matterson, Ill./ Marian Catholic) secured two service aces in Friday's game.
 
Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area) and Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) followed right behind Liprando in kills. Leahey put up seven kills. While Deardorff collected six in the match.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
After the Red Flash claimed the first two sets of the match, the squad only needed one more set for victory. The Royals came out in the third set ready to play, but the Red Flash could not be stopped that easily. The third set went back-and-forth until the end. Saint Francis went on a 7-1 run to make the score 23-17. A service error clinched the third and final set for the Red Flash, 25-19 to claim the victory over the Royals, 3-0.

FLASH MOMENTS 

A kill from Deardorff coming from Parker put the Red Flash on the board first to start the match off in the first set. However, the Royals came right back to tie the set and that's exactly how the first set went for both teams, back-and-forth. That was until the Red Flash went on a 7-2 run that featured kills from Leahey, Liprando and Nathan Zini (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle Catholic) to make the score 21-15. It was a kill from Liprando that gave the Red Flash the first set with a score of 25-18.
 
The Red Flash went on a 3-0 run that started with a kill from Deardorff to get things started in the second set. The early lead prevailed the Red Flash to never allow the Royals to lead in the second set. This set featured back-to-back service aces from Parker. It was a service ace from Blair that gave Saint Francis men's volleyball its biggest lead of the night to make the score 17-8. The Royals went on a 4-1 run to come back in the set and make the score 24-22. A service error from Queens secured the second set for the Red Flash, 25-22 to make Saint Francis one set way from victory.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
Friday's game marks the fifth meeting between the Red Flash and Royals. Saint Francis men's volleyball continues to lead the series with an overall record of 4-1.
 
Prior to Friday's game, the Red Flash last defeated Queens last season over four sets.

UP NEXT
The Red Flash will now look to take on Penn State University at Rec Hall on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7:00 p.m. for an EIVA matchup. Both teams are currently undefeated in conference action.