Sacred Heart
10-12,3-6EIVA
Penn State University
17-7,9-0EIVA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn St. | 25 | 22 | 21 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
| Sacred Heart | 21 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 10 | 2 |
Sacred Heart Takes No. 15 Penn State to the Limit in Five Set Marathon
4/10/2026 10:33:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Mandic and Beranek combine for 36 kills
FAIRFIELD, CONN — The Sacred Heart University Men's Volleyball team delivered its grittiest performance of the season Friday night, pushing No. 15 Penn State to the absolute brink before falling in a dramatic five-set battle at the Pitt Center, 3-2.
From the opening serve, the Pioneers found themselves on their heels. Penn State stormed to a commanding 7-0 lead in the first set, silencing the home crowd early. Sacred Heart refused to fold, chipping away behind kills from Petr Beranek and Aleksa Mandic, eventually clawing back within three at 23-20. But the early deficit proved too much, as the Nittany Lions closed out the set, 25-21.
The second set flipped the script as well as the energy in the building. Sacred Heart began to find its rhythm offensively, with Armaan Dosanjh getting Zach Flynn and Aaron Johnson involved. A pivotal mid-set run gave SHU control, and despite Penn State rallying late to tie things at 22-22, the Pioneers showed poise under pressure. Back-to-back late points, capped by a clutch finish, sealed a 25-22 win and evened the match at one set apiece.
With momentum fully on their side, Sacred Heart delivered its most complete set of the night in the third. The Pioneers were nearly unstoppable offensively, hitting an impressive .440 in the frame. Beranek and Mandic were key as the Pioneers surged ahead late with a decisive run. After a tight battle through the middle stages, the Pios pulled away to take the set, 25-21, and a stunning 2-1 match lead over the nationally ranked Nittany Lions.
Facing pressure, Penn State responded like a top-15 team in the fourth. The Nittany Lions tightened up on both sides, swinging at a .407 clip. Sacred Heart stayed within striking distance early, but Penn State gradually created separation and never let the Pioneers regain momentum, taking the set 25-19 to force a decisive fifth.
The final set was a battle of composure. With everything on the line, both teams traded points early before Penn State began to assert control midway through. A late push from Sacred Heart kept hopes alive, but the Nittany Lions executed down the stretch, pulling away for a 15-10 win to escape with the match.
Despite the heartbreaking result, Sacred Heart's very impressive performance stood out. The Pioneers totaled 58 kills and hit .250 as a team, proving that they can go toe-to-toe with one of the top programs in the country. Beranek and Mandic led the way with 18 kills each, while Zach Flynn added 12. Dosanjh orchestrated the offense with 48 assists, and Harryzen Soares anchored the back row with eight digs.
The Pioneers will host the Nittany Lions again tomorrow at 3:00 PM as they will celebrate Carter Lyons, Armaan Dosanjh and Ben Lillie on its senior day.
