Sacred Heart stormed out of the gate with a couple of kills, back-to-back service aces from Chris DeLucie (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), and a block to take a 5-2 lead over the Harvard Crimson. Mackenzie put down a kill to keep the Pioneers on the offensive and in command with a 9-7 lead. SHU's blockers proved to be very effective in the first set and helped the Pioneers to a 12-8 lead. DeLucie fired a service ace and Mackenzie slammed another kill to put the Pioneers ahead 17-13. A timeout was called by Harvard in an effort to slow down the surging SHU attack with the score at 19-13 in favor of Sacred Heart. Unfortunately for the Crimson, the Pioneers could not be slowed and proceeded to close out the set 25-18 with a kill from Austin Arcala (Long Beach, Calif.).

 Harvard came out in the second set with a little more energy and took an early 6-1 lead. Sacred Heart was making too many errors and needed a timeout to gather themselves with the score at 8-2 in favor of the Crimson. A kill from Mackenzie narrowed Harvard's lead to five with the score at 13-8. The Pioneers remained close as Zardo put down a kill that kept SHU within five, 17-12. A kill from Arcala closed Harvard's lead to four, 22-18; however, Sacred Heart was ultimately unable to overcome costly mistakes and dropped the set 25-19.

With SHU and Harvard level at one set apiece, the match was up for the taking. The Crimson jumped out to a 5-1 lead. The Pioneers were desperately looking to find their form from the first set with the score at 9-3 in favor of Harvard. After the Crimson were gifted another point from a SHU hitting error, SHU Head Coach Kalani Efstathiou was forced to use a timeout with the score at 10-3. Sophomore setter Zardo sent down a kill sparking a SHU run to cut the lead to 15-8. Rookie Trent Thompson (Kailua, Hawaii) put down a big kill, but SHU still trailed 23-13. In the end, Harvard captured the set 25-13.

At the beginning of the fourth set, the score was knotted at two with neither side willing to give an inch. The score tied again at five and at six. Arcala and Mackenzie put down kills to once again draw the set level, 9-9. At this point, Harvard went on a five point run to pull ahead 14-9. A strong block by Doug Dzema (Manalapan, N.J.) and Thompson brought the score within two, 16-14, in the Crimson's favor. After another SHU timeout with the Pioneers trailing 22-19, Sacred Heart continued to battle until the very end with kills from Dzema and Mackenzie bringing SHU within two of catching Harvard, 22-20, but ultimately could not overcome as the Crimson clinched the match with the 25-22 set win.

Sacred Heart is back in action Saturday night at home when they host New Paltz at 7:00 p.m.