» Saint Francis University men's volleyball defeated the Tigers of Princeton University, 3-1 on Saturday to go 2-0 in conference and remain undefeated at home.
» Joshua Blair (Matterson, Ill./ Marian Catholic) led the Red Flash in kills with 13 overall and the team leader snagged six blocks for his squad as well.
» Trevor Lewis (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) followed closely behind with 11 kills on the day and led both teams in serving aces with two overall.
» Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area) led the team in blocks with seven and managed to come up with ten kills as well.
The fourth set continued to be just like the first three sets with both teams battling it out, except in this set the Red Flash claimed the victory. With the score 17-14, the Red Flash were able to go on a 3-0 run thanks to blocks from
Nathan Zini (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle Catholic) and Blair to tie the fourth set, 17-17, but the Tigers were able to go on a 3-1 run of their own. With the Red Flash down by two at a score of 22-20, the Red Flash squad was able to go on a 5-0 run that featured a clutch service ace from
Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) and a winning kill from
Blake Liprando (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) to claim the victory in the fourth and final set at a score of 25-22.
FLASH MOMENTS
The Tigers got on the board first to start things off in the first set, but the Red Flash were able to get on the board after a kill from Lewis. Princeton took the lead early in the set and although the set tied a couple times, the Princeton men's volleyball squad never allowed the Red Flash to lead in the first set for the Tigers to claim the first set, 25-20.
The Red Flash came out in the second set ready to fight by starting it off with a 4-0 run that featured kills from Lewis and Liprando and a service ace from Lewis. Saint Francis men's volleyball continued to dominate in the second set by starting it off overall with a 10-3 run to never allow the Tigers to take the lead in this set. It was a kill from Blair followed by a service ace from Lewis that granted Red Flash men's volleyball the second set, 25-16.
The third set was a back-and-forth battle between both programs that went down to the wire. With the Red Flash down 22-20 in the set, the squad went on a 2-0 run which included a kill from Leahey to tie the set 22-22. It was a block from Lewis that secured the extended third set for the Red Flash, 26-24.
FLASH NUGGETS
Joey Ferragonio (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) made his season debut in Saturday's match to appear in the set point of the third set and more in the fourth set.
The win over Princeton marks the first time the Red Flash have defeated the Tigers since the 2019 season. That match was also claimed over four sets.
With Saturday's victory over the Tigers the Red Flash now stand at 14-47 overall against the Princeton men's volleyball.
The victory marks the first time the Red Flash men's volleyball program have been 2-0 in conference since the 2014 season.
UP NEXT
The Red Flash will now turn its attention to a couple of road matches. First, to take on the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University on Friday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. Followed by Harvard University on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 5:00 p.m.
