LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis men's volleyball players Nathan Zini, Peyton Blain, and Ryan Parker earned NEC weekly awards for their performances against Merrimack, the conference announced Monday. 

The Red Flash defeated the Warriors in back-to-back sweeps on Mar. 28 and 29.

Zini earned his fourth First Point/NEC Player of the Week and ninth NEC Prime Performer after collecting 34 kills, 5.67 kills per set, 13 digs, six blocks, and four service aces overall between the two matches. The junior opposite recorded 20 kills on the 29th, the fourth time that he's surpassed 20 this season. He also recorded a hitting percentage of .500. The Pittsburgh, Pa. continues to lead the NEC in aces with 52 and is second in the kill department with 319.

Blain was named First Point/NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the fifth time and NEC Prime Performer for the ninth time this season after posting 20 digs between the two matches. The senior libero led a Red Flash defense that held the Warriors offense to hitting percentages of .289 and .105. He leads Division-I and II men's volleyball in digs with 267, and is one away from becoming the single-season leader in digs by a Red Flash player.

Parker tallied his sixth NEC Prime Performer after posting stats of 69 assists, 13 digs, four service aces, two blocks, and two kills. In the second match on the 29th, the senior setter engineered an offense that registered 45 kills and a hitting percentage of .415. For his part, the Long Island, NY native had 40 assists. He currently sits at 748 assists on the season, the most in the NEC.

Men's volleyball returns to action with a chance to clinch the NEC Regular Season Championship April 5-6 at D'Youville.