FAIRFIELD, CONN. — The Sacred Heart University Men's Volleyball team claimed an exciting third set but ultimately fell to Jessup, 3-1, in the series finale Tuesday night at the Pitt Center.
Records:
Sacred Heart (0-2)
Jessup (2-3)
Top Performers:
Aleksa Mandic - 13 kills
Armaan Dosanjh: 33 assists
How it Happened:
Sacred Heart opened the match in Set 1 with Aleksa Mandic recording the first kill for the Pioneers to make it 1-0. Quinton Toney followed with a kill off a precise Armaan Dosanjh set to extend the lead to 3-1. Sacred Heart stayed within striking distance, with Mandic scoring again on a strong attack to cut the deficit to four. Carter Lyons contributed a timely attack, and Mandic continued the run with back-to-back kills late in the set. Petr Beranek then scored off a set from Dosanjh, and Mandic closed the set with consecutive kills, though the Pioneers ultimately fell 25-20.
In Set 2, Sacred Heart responded quickly. Mandic struck with a kill to tie the score at 3-3, followed by Zach Flynn's kill to put the Pioneers ahead 8-7. Back-to-back errors by Jessup brought Sacred Heart within two late in the set. Mandic and Beranek then connected for three consecutive points at 18-16. Three straight service errors by the Warriors tied it at 24, but the Pioneers ultimately fell 26-24.
Set 3 showcased Sacred Heart at its best. Mandic opened the scoring with a kill to make it 1-0, then added three service aces at 4-0, 6-0, and 7-0, giving the Pioneers a commanding early lead. Joshua Krzikalla added his first career kill to put Sacred Heart up 8-1. Five straight Jessup points narrowed the gap, but the Pioneers responded. Back-to-back kills from Ben Lillie put SHU ahead 12-9. Mandic and Dosanjh combined for several critical points throughout the set, and Mandic delivered the final kill to secure a 26-24 victory, giving the Pioneers a huge morale boost.
In Set 4, Sacred Heart remained competitive, with Mandic delivering kills to tie it at 2-2 and later put the Pioneers slightly ahead at 4-3. Dosanjh set up key points for Flynn to draw even at 6-6. Mandic added additional kills late in the set to keep SHU close, while Dosanjh continued to run the offense effectively. Despite their best efforts, the Pioneers fell 25-19 in the final set.
Of Note:
Up Next:
Sacred Heart will travel to AIC to face the Yellow Jackets on Friday at 7pm.
