Box Score CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A first conference victory of the year wasn't in the cards for the Sacred Heart University men's volleyball team on Friday. The Pioneers lost to the University of Charleston, 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-17, 28-26).

Records:
Sacred Heart: 4-6, 0-5 EIVA
Charleston: 5-4, 2-3 EIVA
 
Top Performers:
Patrick Mucherino (SHU): 18 kills, 5 digs
Mark Berry (SHU) 15 kills
Cole Younger (SHU) 11 digs
 
Up Next:
Game two of the series is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday. 
 
Of Note:
SHU's inability to close down the stretch in sets one and two was the difference in the match.
 
Back-to-back errors in the opening stanza allowed SHU to close within 21-20. Two Pioneer errors and a pair of Charleston kills gave them the set.
 
The Pioneers had set point in the fourth set, but a pair of errors gave UC the advantage. Aaron Peterson and Mark Berry produced kills to keep the match alive before the Golden Eagles prevailed.
 
Down 15-14 in the second set, the Pioneers rattled off eight-straight points to take a commanding lead. Four different Pioneers had kills during the run.
 
Charleston's out-hit Sacred Heart, .354-to-.213. The Golden Eagles also had an 8-1 advantage in blocks.
 
Over half of SHU's kills came from Patrick Mucherino and Berry. Mucherino had a career-high 18 kills while Berry posted a season-best 15 winners.