WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis men's volleyball defeated LIU in four sets to claim their third-straight Northeast Conference (NEC) Regular Season Championship (25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19).
>> Andrew Deardorff, Richard Kaminski, Michael Mosbacher and Nathan Hayes were honored at the conclusion of the match.
>> Brady Stump tied with Deardorff in kills with 15. The junior tied Cole Dorn with three service aces and tallied four digs.
>> Deardorff notched his 1,000th career kill in the first set for one of his 15 slams on the day. The senior led the team with eight digs and also picked up two assists.
TURNING POINTS OF THE MATCH
The Red Flash set the tone in the first set with a quick 8-3 start, forcing an LIU timeout. They kept up their five point lead by making it a 17-12 game and made the Sharks call another timeout. The visiting team attempted to make it close by cutting the deficit to 24-22, but a service error from Chase Celichowski put an end to the rally and gave Saint Francis a 25-22 set one win.
LIU responded to the Red Flash set one win with a similar 8-3 spurt to begin set two. A timeout from Mike Rumbaugh helped bring some momentum to the Red Flash, as they cut the lead to 17-16 a little after the halfway point. The Sharks stopped the comeback with a 5-2 run that ultimately helped them take the second set, 25-21.
Saint Francis took control of set three by jumping out to a 12-7 advantage. LIU clawed their way back to make it 21-20 going into the final serves. The comeback was thwarted, however, with a 4-1 run by the Red Flash to close out the set. Dorn tallied one of his three service aces for set point to help the squad go up 2-1 by a final score of 25-21.
The squad already clinched the title from having won the first two sets, as they won the head-to-head set winning percentage.
In a 2-1 hole, the Sharks went up 10-7 to kick off the fourth set. Saint Francis put an end to their hot start with a 6-2 run to go up 13-12. From there, the teams went point for point until the score was knotted at 18 apiece. The Red Flash put an end to the back-and-forth with a furious 7-1 run to put an exclamation point on the match. Mosbacher served up an ace for match point to give the seniors a win on their special day.
FLASH MOMENTS
Saint Francis had their most efficient offensive output in the opening set, racking up 15 kills on a .364 hitting percentage. That production was needed when the score was at a slim 22-21 lead, as Dorn and Stump went back-to-back on kills to make it a 24-21 game. It ultimately proved to be the difference maker on their way to the set one victory.
The 4-1 run to end the third set began with a Deardorff kill to make it 22-20. Stump followed up the slam with a service ace to make it a three point advantage. After a Sharks point, Stump slammed down the kill that helped lead to Dorn's ace.
All four seniors started set four and made their mark. Mosbacher, in particular, went off for eight kills and two service aces. Hayes assisted on 10 of the 13 kills during the fourth game. The team defense was at its best during the final game, as they held the Sharks' offense to just seven kills on a .038 hitting percentage.
FLASH NUGGETS
Through three regular seasons in NEC play, the Red Flash have gone 31-3 through this stretch. The NEC Tournament will once again run through Loretto, Pa.
In 19 of the last 22 contests, Deardorff surpassed double digits in kills. Overall, he has stacked up 353 (16.05 per match) and 375 for the whole regular season.
Stump has been a perfect sidekick for Deardorff, as the junior has notched 10 or more kills in nine of the last 11 matches. Through the stretch, he has collected 177 kills (16.09 per match).
In three sets, Kyle Charles recorded 34 assists, seven kills (.545 hitting percentage), six digs, and two blocks. The seven slams are the most registered by the freshman setter this season.
Dorn tied with Sam Lane for the most blocks with three. The junior outside hitter picked up six digs and three service aces in three sets of action.
Kaminski finished the contest with five digs.
NEXT UP FOR FLASH
Men's Volleyball will face fourth-seeded FDU on Friday, April 25 in the NEC Tournament semifinals. The time will be announced at a later date.
