The Sacred Heart mens volleyball team ended up their west coast trip going 0-3 among the top teams in the nation. The Pioneers took on #1 Long Beach State, #6 UCLA, and finished the trip against USC. The Pioneers brought USC into the final set, but couldn't get the job done losing in a five set thriller. The Pioneers will stay on the road as they get back into EIVA play, taking on Harvard this Friday. 

#6UCLA 3                  Sacred Heart 0

• SET 1-
  • Eduardo Zardo, started the opening match off quick, adding a service ace
  • Each team exchanged a pair of points moving the score to 10-9 in favor of UCLA
  • UCLA went on a run from their moving the score to 19-13, where they would go on to close the first set 25-15
  • SET 2-
    • Each team went back in forth to start the second set, leaving SHU ahead 5-4 after a Doug Dzema kill
    • The set would be tied 11 a piece, until the Bruins would go on a 4-0 run taking a 15-11 lead
    • Christopher DeLucie would give a last ditch effort with a kill, but the Pioneers would drop the second set 25-19
    • SET 3-
      • UCLA jumped to an early 3-0 lead, but the Pioneers caught fire, firing off six points to take a 6-5 advantage
      • A Taylor Bloomquist kill would keep the match close with the Bruins holding a slight 11-9 lead, but Dzema would add an ace to close the set within one
      • The Bruins found a rhythm and didn't look back, as they rattled off nine straight points, as SHU would fall 25-15 in the final set

#1Long Beach State 3              Sacred Heart 0

• SET 1-
  • Long Beach State would start things off with two points, but DeLucie would slow the roll, adding a kill from a Zardo assist
  • SHU would tie things up at 4-4, but the 49ers would rattle off three points to take a 7-4 advantage
  • Michael Comens would add a kill midway thru the match, moving the score to 16-12 in favor of Long Beach State
  • The 49ers would finish the first set strong, taking it 25-15
  • SET 2-
    • The 49ers were all business in the second set, as they went on a dominant run, moving the score to 16-5
    • A Michael McLaughlin kill would ease the deficit, but SHU would fall 25-11
    • SET 3-
      • In similar fashion, Long Beach State would jump to a 9-3 advantage to start the match
      • Emerson Waumans would add a kill to bring SHU within striking distance, at 10-7
      • The 49ers proved to be too tough, as they continued to fire off points, jumping to a 21-10 lead, as they would go on to take the match 25-13

USC 3                 Sacred Heart 2

• SET 1-
  • The Pioneers were set to take on the Trojans and finish their trip on a high note, as DeLucie started things off with a kill
  • Each team went back and forth, till the score was tied up at 14 a piece
  • Back-to-back DeLucie kills would give SHU a 17-15 advantage, forcing USC to take a timeout
  • The Timeout wouldn't work for the Trojans as they came back with two attack errors, as SHU would lead 19-15
  • To keep things interesting, USC would rattle off three points to tie it up at 20-20
  • Last weeks AVCA, and EIVA Player of the week, Comens added the final dagger, to take the set 25-23
  • SET 2-
    • SHU caught fire to open the second set, as they jumped to a 7-4 advantage, ended with a Dzema kill
    • After a pair of attack errors from the Trojans, and a Waumans kill, the Pioneers were ahead 13-7
    • Sacred Heart didn't look back from their, as they improved to 24-18 after a Bloomquist kill
    • DeLucie added the dagger with a service ace to take the set 25-18, and jump to a two set advantage
    • SET 3-
      • The Trojans were determined in their home gym in the third, as they hung with the Pioneers as the match was tied 11-11
      • Each team went back and forth, till the score was tied up 19 a piece
      • As each team wouldn't give in the set came down to the wire with the score tied 23-23, but the Trojans would get the last laugh hitting back-to-back kills to take the set 25-23
      • SET 4-
        • SHU came out quick in the forth, jumping to a 7-4 lead, ending with a Comens kill
        • USC would go on a run of their own from their to take a 13-10 advantage, after a Waumans attack error
        • The Trojans found their rhythm, jumping to a 21-15 lead, but SHU wouldn't give in just yet, as they rattled off three points to put the match within 3
        • USC would go on the take the forth set, 25-22 and force the fifth set
        • SET 5-
          • Things looked good for SHU to start the final set, as they jumped to a 7-4 lead
          • The Trojans would come back quick as the score stood 9-9, forcing SHU to take a timeout
          • The Pioneers were able to finish the Trojans as they would go on to take the final set 18-16, and the match 3-2