WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Saint Francis University men's volleyball lost to the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University in a five-set thrilling matchup on Friday.
 
With Friday's loss, the Red Flash take its first loss at home this season and drop to 12-9 overall and 6-5 in the EIVA.
 
Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) earned his 100th kill of his career and this season in Friday's match after collecting 12 kills for the Red Flash. Deardorff also led his squad with six digs on the day.
 
Blake Liprando (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led the Red Flash in kills and serving aces with 15 and four, respectively.
 
Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area) led Saint Francis men's volleyball in blocks overall with five.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
With the match tied 2-2, the fifth set was the biggest turning point in the game. The final set was a huge battle between the Red Flash and Pioneers. With the Red Flash down in the fifth set 13-10, the squad was able to come back within two thanks to a kill from Deardorff and a block from Deardorff and Leahey. However, the Pioneers were able to claim the victory with clinching the final set, 15-12.
 
FLASH MOMENTS 

Liprando started off the match with a service ace for the Red Flash. The Loretto, Pa., squad continued to dominate in the first set and maintain a big advantage over the Pioneers. However, Sacred Heart was not finished yet as the Pioneers came back to tie the set on four different occasions, but Saint Francis men's volleyball never allowed the Pioneers to take the lead in the first set. With the first set tied up at 21-21, the Red Flash were able to come up with a 4-1 run that featured kills from Liprando and Leahey for Saint Francis men's volleyball to claim the first set, 25-22.
 
The Pioneers took its first lead of the game in set two after the squad got on the board first due to an attack error from the Red Flash. However, Saint Francis bounced back with a 3-0 run thanks to kills from Deardorff and Joshua Blair (Matterson, Ill./ Marian Catholic). The Red Flash continued to control the majority of the second set until the Pioneers went on a 6-1 run to take the second set with a score of 25-23.
 
Liprando started off the third set just as he did the first, with a service ace which allowed the Red Flash to maintain the lead early on. However, the Pioneers were able to take the lead after a 5-0 run to make the score 10-9 which turned the third set into a back-and-forth battle. With the Red Flash down 18-15, the squad came up with a 4-1 run to take the lead once again at a score of 20-19. A block from Schmidt and Leahey secured the 25-23 third set for the Red Flash to make the squad one set away from victory.
 
Saint Francis started off the fourth set with a 2-0 run to take the lead early on. However, the Pioneers found its way back in and took its first lead of the third set at a score of 10-9. The Pioneers were able to keep control and clinch the fourth set, 25-22.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
Despite Friday's loss, the Red Flash still hold the overall record against the Pioneers at 28-5.
 
Blair put up a single game career high of three solo blocks in Friday's match to reach 17 overall in his career.
 
UP NEXT
Red Flash men's volleyball will continue its weekend series by taking on the Crimson of Harvard University on Saturday, March 26 at 4:00 p.m.