FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart women's volleyball team came back from two sets to one down to force a fifth set Saturday night at the Pitt Center against the Saint Francis U Red Flash, falling in the fifth set 15-12 to drop the match 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 18-25, 25-14, 12-15).

Saint Francis U (9-13, 5-3 NEC) opened the match on an 8-1 run, getting two kills from Sophie Murdock. Sacred Heart (7-14, 2-6 NEC) battled back, as consecutive Makayla Dole (Cypress, Calif.) aces got the Pioneers within one at 13-12. With the Red Flash ahead 15-12, Sacred Heart went on a 4-0 run capped off by a Tori Kemper (Banks, Ore.) kill, giving the Pioneers their first lead at 16-15. The two sides battled to a 23-23 tie, with Sacred Heart taking the last two points on a Red Flash error and a Lila Palmer (Cypress, Texas) ace to win the opening set 25-23.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 13-6 lead to open the second set, getting kills from Katie Direnzo (Shelton, Conn.), Jene Lee (San Dimas, Calif.), and Sarah Krufka (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.). Just as Sacred Heart did in the first, Saint Francis U rallied in the second. The Red Flash closed to within two at 19-17 on a Sophie Murdock ace. The Pioneers led 20-18 before Saint Francis U used a Kayla Jeckell kill to spark a 3-0 run to take a 21-20 lead. Sacred Heart responded with two kills from Kemper to take a 23-21 lead. The Red Flash tied the set 24-24 on a Jeckell kill, but an error gave Sacred Heart set point at 25-24. Saint Francis U fought off the set point, then won the next two points to win the set 27-25 and tie the match at one set apiece.

Saint Francis U opened the third set on a 7-1 run. The Red Flash hit .435 in the set, with just one error, to take the set 25-18 and go up 2-1 in the match. Sacred Heart had its best offensive set in the fourth, hitting .312 while holding the Red Flash to a -.105, taking the set 25-14 to force a fifth and decisive set. Saint Francis U opened the fifth on a 6-2 run, getting two kills from Breanna Opera and three blocks. Trailing 11-8, Sacred Heart came back to tie the set 11-11 on kills by Kemper and Krufka. With the set tied 12-12, a Pioneers service error put the Red Flash in front 13-12. After another error gave the Red Flash match point, Kelsey Roush put down a kill to give Saint Francis U the set 15-12 and the match 3-2.

Sacred Heart outhit Saint Francis U .144-.12, while the Red Flash had 14.5 blocks to the Pioneers' four. Kemper led the Pioneers with 17 kills and added 11 digs. Kufka added 14 kills as Palmer had 10 kills and 15 digs. Libero Ana Gonzalez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) led all players with 23 digs.

The Pioneers host Robert Morris Sunday at 1 p.m.