WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Saint Francis University men's volleyball took a 3-0 conference loss to the patriots of George Mason University on Friday to drop to 6-3 in the EIVA and 12-7 overall.
 
Nathan Zini (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle Catholic), Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area) and Joshua Blair (Matterson, Ill./ Marian Catholic) put up a combined 24 kills in the match.
 
AJ Schmidt (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) led the Red Flash squad with two serving aces and 26 assists.
 
Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) led Friday's game overall with eight digs.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
With the Patriots up in the match 2-0, the Red Flash had to take control in the third set to stay in the game. After Saint Francis men's volleyball took the lead in the third set with kills from Schmidt and Leahey to make the score 2-1, the Red Flash did not allow the Patriots to lead again until the end of the set. George Mason went on a 5-1 run at the end of the third set to claim the third and final set, 25-22.  
 
FLASH MOMENTS 

The first set started off back-and-forth, but inevitably ended up being all George Mason. Once the Patriots took the lead early in the first set to make the score 5-4, the squad never allowed the Red Flash to lead again in the set. George Mason claimed the first set, 25-18.
 
The Red Flash had control for the majority of the second set. Saint Francis took the lead in the second set to make the score 6-5 and never allowed the Patriots to take the lead again in the second set until the Fairfax, Va., squad went on a 3-0 run to take the late lead and make the score 17-16. Both teams continued to battle late in the set, but a 5-1 run would be the deciding factor for the Patriots to claim the second set, 25-22.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
Zini matched his single game career high with 12 kills which he recorded earlier this season against Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
UP NEXT
The Red Flash will continue its conference road trip to Princeton, N.J., to take on the Tigers on Saturday, March 19 at 5:00 p.m.