WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis men's volleyball dropped their match to No. 18 Princeton on Friday night in five sets (20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 12-15).
>> Michael Mosbacher led the Red Flash in kills with 14. The senior added on two blocks, two digs, and one service ace.
>> Andrew Deardorff had himself an all-around statline of 12 kills, four aces, four blocks, and four digs. The four aces are a career-high for the senior outside hitter.
>> In Kyle Charles's fourth career start, the freshman setter dished out 30 assists, tacked on six kills (.857 hitting percentage), recorded defensive statistics of four digs and three blocks, and added on an ace. Charles piled up a season-high in kills, digs, and aces.
TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH
The Tigers took set four to tie the match at two sets apiece. The fifth set proved to be a neck-and-neck affair to start out, with the score knotted up at eight halfway through. This was when Princeton proceeded to go on a 6-2 run to go up 14-10 and this hot stretch proved to be the momentum shifter. Saint Francis scored two straight points afterwards, but it wasn't enough as the Tigers took the set and match by a final score of 15-12.
FLASH MOMENTS
The opening set began with Princeton getting out to a 15-11 lead midway through the set. Saint Francis would put a halt to the run and went on a 8-4 run to tie it up at 19. The comeback fell short, however, as the Tigers countered the rally with a 6-1 run of their own to take set one, 25-20.
The Red Flash had their most dominant offensive performance in set two, racking up a set-best 12 kills, four aces, and a .478 hitting percentage. The great offense helped the squad get out to a quick 11-7 lead, but the Tigers would rally with a 8-4 run to tie the set at 15. After exchanging points to knot the score at 18, Saint Francis would pull away with a 4-1 run to go up 22-19 and proved to be the difference-making run. Mosbacher notched his fifth kill of the set during set point to give the team set two by a final score of 25-23.
The third set was another close battle, with Princeton holding the upper hand early with a 14-13 lead. The Red Flash responded to the slim lead with a 7-0 run to go up 20-14. The advantage would never get below three the rest of the set, and a combined block from Deardorff and Nicholas Lynch helped give the team a 25-21 set three win
Set four started out with a close 14-13 lead in favor of the Tigers. On the verge of losing the match, Princeton went on a 4-0 run to go up 18-13. They used the momentum to ultimately win the fourth set, 25-19.
FLASH NUGGETS
Tonight's match with No. 19 Princeton is the fifth time that the Red Flash have faced an AVCA top-20 opponent. It will be the last match versus a ranked team until the season series with currently ranked No. 17 Penn State Feb. 14-15.
The team recorded a season-high 11 service aces. Nicholas Lynch and Nathan Hayes each had two aces apiece.
Libero Richard Kaminski compiled his second-straight match with 11 digs.
Sam Lane tied with Deardorff for the most total blocks with four.
NEXT UP FOR FLASH
Men's volleyball will travel to Newark, N.J. on Jan. 25 to face off against NJIT at 7:00 p.m.
