WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Fueling the win in tandem with a combined 44 kills was Paloma Gonzalez Jaramillo, Alyssa Irwin, and Korrin Burns.
>> Four Red Flash collected double digit digs.
>> This win gives the women's volleyball team its fifth-straight year of clinching a spot in the NEC Tournament.
>> Saint Francis ended LIU's 11 game win streak with a 3-1 victory over the Sharks (25-22, 25-20, 25-18, 25-21).
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Saint Francis trailed behind LIU 12-9 early in the third set, but that did not last very long before the Red Flash went on a 9-2 run. Kori McClure started this game clinching run with a dominate kill down the middle. Alexandra Sappia then set up Gwen Atkins for a quick kill to tie the set 12 all. Sappia collected herself an ace right off the hands of a LIU player. The Sharks were forced to call a timeout to calm down the Red Flash offense, but Atkins had another thing in mind. Alexa Chapla threw up an assist across court to Atkins who struck with power to earn a kill. The freshman Atkins could not stop there as McClure and her went up to defend the net and registered a duo block. Chapla once again set up a kill but this time it was for Gonzalez Jaramillo. Gonzalez Jaramillo and Atkins both recorded another kill to end the run with an 18-14 lead.
LIU brought the match back within two points, and the Red Flash did not accept the small lead. Gonzalez Jaramillo and Irwin had a duo block that created a 6-1 spark to win the second set. Sappia had back-to-back assists for both Irwin and Burns. After two crucial attacking errors by the Sharks offense, Chapla sealed the deal with a service ace. This fuel pushed Saint Francis to go on and win its third straight set and claim the game with a 3-1 victory.
FLASH MOMENTS
The Red Flash had a slow start but quickly picked up the pace with a 4-0 run. Burns picked up the first kill of the run off an assist from Sappia. Burns was not done with that point, so she collected a service ace right after. McClure registered an absolute monster kill down the middle from another Sappia assist. Saint Francis subbed in Gonzalez Jaramillo, who immediately showed her impact. McClure set up Gonzalez Jaramillo for the kill that closed the gap early. Towards the end of the set, the Red Flash went on another unanswered four points to close the 24-19 gap. This run was once against started by Burns and this time, finished too. Burns had all four kills which Sappia aided on three of the four points, and Chapla recorded the fourth assist.
When the second set was underway, the energy shifted in the Red Flash direction. This time, McClure powered the 9-2 run. After two attacking errors from the Sharks, LIU was forced to call a timeout. This did not slow down Saint Francis as Atkins continued to fuel the Red Flash with a kill of her own. McClure decided she wanted in on the fun, so Sappia set up two kills for McClure to lay down. After yet another LIU error, McClure collected an ace to put the Red Flash up 22-13, which led them to claim the second set.
All throughout the fourth set, the Red Flash and the Sharks were neck and neck until LIU called a timeout while they were up 15-14. This gave Saint Francis time to fuel up and defend the net. LIU went up for a huge kill but instead found Irwin's hands to get stuffed. With some major blocking at the net, the Sharks made another attacking error to give Saint Francis the lead 16-15. However, the Red Flash were not done yet. Sappia set up a beautiful dime for Burns to slam off the fingers of a LIU defender and earn a kill. LIU thought another timeout would cool off the Red Flash, but that was not the case. Chandler Alter served for the Red Flash and when LIU was setting up for a kill, Irwin and Burns created a crazy duo block to shut that kill down. With Saint Francis up 24-21, Sappia set up a ball for Atkins to hit, and she did just that. Atkins collected herself a kill and a Red Flash win.
FLASH NUGGETS
Burns, the six-time NEC Player of the Week and NEC Prime Performer, recorded 21 kills, 13 digs, and three assisted blocks. This is Burns' 22nd game with 20+ kills and 23rd double-double of her career.
McClure, a NEC Player of the Week and three-time NEC Prime Performer, finished with nine kills and three assisted blocks.
Atkins collected nine kills and five digs.
Sappia finished the match with 53 assists and 10 digs. Sappia has earned NEC Prime Performer distinction each week of the 2025 season.
Gonzalez Jaramillo collected 12 kills. This is the fourth time this season that she has reached double digits for the Red Flash.
Chapla registered 12 digs, which is her third time collecting double digits throughout her career.
Irwin recorded 11 kills on the evening. This is the third time that Irwin has hit double digits in her career.
Chandler Alter grabbed 10 digs, allowing her to touch her seventh double digit game for Saint Francis.
NEXT ON TAP
Saint Francis starts November off with its second game of the series against LIU tomorrow, which will also be celebrated as its mental health match. The game will take place after the Red Flash football game and begin at 5 p.m.
