CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - For the third time in program history, the St. Francis Brooklyn men's volleyball team returned to Malkin Athletic Center on the campus of Harvard University for a Friday night battle with the Crimson.
The Terriers continued to make inroads against their former conference mates in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA), taking Harvard to five sets for the first time. Despite a career day from Bartek Zielinski, the Terriers felt short in the decisive fifth set; returning to Brooklyn still in search of the first win over Harvard.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind early, the Terriers rallied for three straight to tie the first set at five-all. The visitors scored two of their three first set blocks to take their largest lead of the match to that point as Juan Marin Luna stood tall at the net and held St. Francis take a 10-7 lead.
Zach Berty, the Crimson's rookie standout, engineered a 6-0 run for Harvard with three consecutive kills that put the first set out of reach. The Crimson took set one, 25-19.
The Terriers struggled to find their footing in the second set, managing just seven kills and making six service errors. Harvard jumped out to a 2-0 match lead with a 25-16 win.
Seeming down and out, St. Francis turned the tide in the third set with its best hitting set of the night; swinging at a .321 rate. Bartek Zielinski played his best in the third, contributing a set-high five kills. The Terriers played with a lead for the majority of the third, but the Crimson battled back to tie things at 10-all and 14-all. SFBK was able to take advantage of eight service errors by Harvard and held strong to snatch the third set, 25-22, and extend the match.
In the fourth set, the Terriers work were able to work off a number of free balls and out of system plays by the Crimson as the Harvard attack struggled to set its feet. Up 10-8 in the fourth, the Terriers' Patrick Rogers took serve off of one of James Henneberry's seven kills on the night. Rogers scored a pair of aces enroute to five straight points, giving the Terriers their largest lead of the night, 15-8. It would be the errors by St. Francis in the fourth that allowed Harvard back into the game, logging four in a short stretch as Harvard worked a 8-1 run to tie the set at 18.
The Crimson looked the close the door on the match as they took a 23-22 lead on another attack error, but Rogers again put his team in a position to extend the match. A kill and an ace by Rogers put the Terriers at set point and Johnny Ferraro tipped the ball over the Crimson defense to clinch a 25-22 win in the fourth set.
This marked the first time this season the Terriers have played a five set match and the first time taking the Crimson to five sets as a program.
The coin was flipped to start the fifth and final set, as the Terriers took first serve. Rogers put his team 1-0 with his 17th kill of the night, but the Crimson would take 15 of the next 17 points for a decisive fifth set win. Six total attack errors set the Terriers back in their closest attempt to knocking off Harvard.
TEAM LEADERS
Bartek Zielinski matched his career-best output with 19 kills and added five digs.
Patrick Rogers logged his fifth match this season with at least 15 kills, hitting .250, adding a match-high four aces and team-high eight digs.
Matt Mongin cracked 30 assists for the third time this season, clocking in with 33 against the Crimson.
Nicola Iannelli returned to form in the libero role with 12 digs and 3 assists.
NEXT UP: The Terriers' schedule match for Mar. 4 against American International has been postponed due to forecasted inclement weather. The Terriers will take the court again on Mar. 9 at Saint Francis (PA) in Northeast Conference competition.
