Mount Olive suffered its first three-set loss of the season, falling to Division I Saint Francis (Pa.) 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 in non-conference men's volleyball Friday at Loretto, Pa. The loss was only the Trojans' second of the season, both against Division I opponents.
In the opening set, Mount Olive (6-2) and Saint Francis (3-6) went back and forth in the early going. Ben Casado assisted on kills by Andreas Lengler and Lewis Einarson as the Trojans pulled even 5-5. But the Red Flash answered with kills by Logan Patterson, Collin Sherwood and Mike Marshman to take command.
Two attack errors by Mount Olive and a kill from Kyle Beatty extended St. Francis' lead to 15-9. The lead was seven when Mount Olive mounted a rally late. Lengler, Adam Miracle and Angel Dache delivered kills during a 4-1 run that got Mount Olive within four. It got no closer.
In game two, the Trojans fell behind at the outset. St. Francis raced out to a 6-0 lead thanks to Adam Roche, Patterson and an ace by Colin Sherwin. Five times in the set, Mount Olive got as close as four.
In the clincher, St. Francis used a 5-1 run to build a 10-4 lead, then held off Mount Olive's attempt at a comeback.
Miracle led the Trojans with nine kills and six digs. Dache and Lengler each added six kills, while Casado had 10 assists.
Last year at Kornegay Arena, Mount Olive defeated Saint Francis in five sets for the Trojans' third win overall against a Division I opponent and first win at home. Mount Olive posted a pair of wins over Harvard in 2008.
Mount Olive's only other loss this season came against Division I Ball State as the Trojans battled the Cardinals to four sets.
Mount Olive concludes its Pennsylvania trip Saturday as the Trojans travel to University Park to take on nationally sixth-ranked Penn State. Match time is 7 p.m.