WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis University men's volleyball claimed a straight set win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday in the first ever Northeast Conference men's volleyball contest.
 
>> Andrew Deardorff (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park) and Blake Liprando (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led the team in kills overall with 21 for the outside duo.
 
>> Thomas Leahey (State College, Pa./State College Area) led the team with four blocks on the net.
 
>> Liprando, Brandon Dunz (Lake View, N.Y./Frontier) and Peyton Blain (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) led the Red Flash with five digs a piece individually.
 
>> Ryan Parker (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) led the team as a setter with 22 assists on the day.
 
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
The first set stayed relatively close throughout. However, with the Red Flash down 17-15, the team put up a 5-0 run to take the lead and hold it for the remainder of the first set. Back-to-back kills from Liprando gave the Red Flash the first set, 25-22. Claiming the first set gave Saint Francis the motivation the team needed to be able to go on and claim the next two sets for the straight set victory.
 
FLASH MOMENTS
The second set started off back-and-forth, but with the set tied at 10, the Red Flash put up a 4-1 run to take the lead and control it for the rest of the set. A kill from Leahey, coming off the hands of Parker gave Saint Francis the second set, 25-21.
 
The Knights found its stride in set three to gain an early lead over the Red Flash, but it was hard to compete with Saint Francis' five service aces in set three alone. With the Red Flash down 15-14, Saint Francis put up a 4-0 run which featured back-to-back service aces from Parker and put the Red Flash up three over the Knights. Saint Francis held this lead for the remainder of the game to earn the final set, 25-17.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
The Saint Francis and Fairleigh Dickinson game was the first ever Northeast Conference (NEC) men's volleyball since the game between the Knights and Red Flash was a 6:00 p.m. start and other NEC games on Friday did not take place until 7:00 p.m. Both coaches were honored prior to the start of the game.
 
The Red Flash continue to remain undefeated in the overall series against the Knights at 2-0 now.
 
UP NEXT
The Red Flash will return home to take on former EIVA foe, Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m.