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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
Kyle Zelasko dives
Geoff Schneider
2
Daemen Daemen 10-9,3-2 NEC
3
Winner Saint Francis SF-PA 10-8,4-1 NEC
Daemen Daemen
10-9,3-2 NEC
2
Final
3
Saint Francis SF-PA
10-8,4-1 NEC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Daemen Daemen 25 27 20 27 13 (2)
Saint Francis SF-PA 21 29 25 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball | | CONTACT: Mary Margaret Johnson, Director of Athletics Communications | mmjohnso@daemen.edu

Wildcats Fall In Five Set Action At Saint Francis

LORETTO, Pa. — Daemen University (10-9, 3-2 NEC) fell to Saint Francis University (10-8, 4-1 NEC) in a five-set thriller, 2-3, on Friday at DeGol Arena. The Wildcats captured the first and fourth sets, 25-21 and 27-25, respectively, but Saint Francis edged them out in the decisive fifth set, 15-13. Daemen recorded 61 kills compared to Saint Francis' 53, yet Saint Francis capitalized on seven service aces to secure the conference victory.

IMPACT PLAYERS
  • Redshirt sophomore Patrick Mullen (Farmingdale, N.J.) finished with 15 kills with five digs for a team-high 16 points. 
  • Fifth year Maverick O'Neill (East Amherst, N.Y.) hit 10 kills for a .533 percentage, adding six blocks for 14 points on the night.
  • Junior setter Jariel Giraud (Orlando, Fla.) contributed 48 assists, 10 digs and one block assist. 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Daemen opened the first set with a strong performance, securing an early advantage with a kill by Mullen. Despite a brief rally by Saint Francis, the Wildcats maintained their lead through effective blocking by O'Neill and Billy Wieberg (Grand Island, N.Y.). Redshirt sophomore Peter Leicht (Grand Island, N.Y.) contributed crucial points, including a pivotal kill at 20-18, extending the Wildcats' margin. The Wildcats took the first set, 25-21.
  • In a tightly contested second set, both teams traded points throughout. After the Wildcats capitalized on early mistakes by Saint Francis, the Red Flash rallied back, taking advantage of several Wildcats attack errors to lead 9-7. The score remained close throughout the set, with Daemen leveling the match at 24-24 thanks to a kill by O'Neill. Despite the Wildcats' efforts, Saint Francis secured the set 29-27.
  • The Wildcats initially took control with a 6-4 lead in the third, highlighted by consecutive kills from O'Neil and White. However, Saint Francis responded with a strong service, including an ace, to pull ahead 19-18. The Red Flash took the third set, 25-20.
  • In the fourth, consistent contributions from Leicht, who tallied multiple kills, helped the Cats to a set victory. White also played a crucial role, recording several key kills to keep Daemen in contention. Despite service errors from both teams, the Wildcats maintained their composure, with Johnaustin Bly delivering a service ace to push the team forward. The final point came from Leicht's kill, assisted by Giraud, concluding the set in the Wildcats' favor. Daemen secured a tightly contested fourth set, edging Saint Francis 27-25
  • The fifth set was a closely contested battle between Daemen and Saint Francis, with the lead shifting multiple times. The Wildcats initially took a 2-0 lead due to consecutive attack errors by Saint Francis, but Saint Francis quickly responded, tying the score at 2-2. Mullen kept Daemen competitive, contributing multiple kills, including one that tied the score at 13-13. However, Zini and Dorn delivered crucial points for Saint Francis, with Dorn's kill securing the final point to clinch the 15-13 victory in the set for Saint Francis.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats and Red Flash return to the court tomorrow for a 3 PM match. 
  
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