LORETTO, PA (September 27, 2014)—Freshman Makayla Dole (Cypress, Calif.) led the Pioneers with 21 kills as the Sacred Heart women's volleyball team's comeback fell short against the Saint Francis U Red Flash in the 2014 conference opener Saturday evening in the DeGol Arena. Tori Kemper (Banks, Ore.) posted 16 kills and 13 digs for her four double-double of the season in the five-set loss that dropped SHU to 5-8 on the season.

After dropping the first two sets 25-17 and 25-21, the Pioneers trailed early in the third set, but consecutive aces from Ana Gonzalez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) give SHU an 8-7 lead. Sacred Heart maintained the lead until the Red Flash came back to tie the game at 19. The teams exchanged points all the way up to 26-26. The Pioneers claimed their first win of the match thanks to back-to-back pills from Sarah Krufka (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) and Kemper.

Sacred Heart carried over the momentum to the fourth set. They jumped out to an early 6-2 lead and never looked back holding onto the lead all the way to the 25-22 win. Middleblocker Jene Lee (San Dimas, Calif.) hit .571, while posting an errorless set, as the Pioneers forced a decisive fifth game.

The fifth set started close with neither team getting more than a two-point lead. Consecutive SHU attack errors tipped the 6-6 tie in the Red Flash's favor. SFU held onto the lead and used a three-point run to clinch the 15-9 win.

SHU wraps up the road trip tomorrow when they face the Robert Morris Colonials at 1:00 p.m.