WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis University men's volleyball took a 3-1 loss to the Bearcats of McKendree on Friday.
 
>> The Red Flash never allowed McKendree to lead in set one. However, the Bearcats were able to come away with sets two, three and four despite a close game throughout.
 
>> Nathan Zini (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle Catholic) led the Red Flash overall with 17 kills on the day, while Ryan Parker (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) continued to lead the team as a setter with 37 assists on Friday.
 
>> Blake Liprando (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area) led the Red Flash on the defensive end in Friday's game. Liprando with seven digs and Leahey with four blocks.
 
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
McKendree found its stride in set two. The second set start off as a close back-and-forth battle between both programs. However, with the set tied at 12, the Bearcats sparked a 5-0 run to take the lead and maintain it for the remainder of the second set. A 4-0 run from McKendree gave the team set two, 25-16. The Bearcats continued this momentum throughout the rest of the game for the win.
 
FLASH MOMENTS
The Red Flash got on the board first in set one and never looked back to maintain the lead throughout the entire first set. Saint Francis led by as much as nine points in the opening set. A 2-0 run that featured a kill from Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) and service ace from Braden Richard (York, Pa./Central York) gave the Red Flash the first set, 25-18.
 
The third set was a very close game with both teams tying and leading on several occasions. With set three tied at 17, the Bearcats put up a 3-0 run to take the lead and hold it for the remainder of the set. McKendree claimed the third set, 25-21.
 
The fourth set continued to be a close one for the Red Flash and Bearcats, featuring 13 tied scores. With the Red Flash down 24-21 towards the end of the set, the team notched a 3-0 run to tie the set up at 24-24. However, the Bearcats were able to record a 2-0 run for the 26-24 fourth and final set win.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
Deardorff led Saint Francis with three service aces on Friday for a new career high for the sophomore.
 
Sam Lane (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) recorded his first collegiate block in Friday's match.
 
UP NEXT
The Red Flash will continue in Cambridge, Mass., on Saturday, Jan. 28 by taking on North Greenville at 4:00 p.m.