FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University men's volleyball team opened the 2024 Wednesday night, suffering a 3-1 loss to Stevens at the William H Pitt Center. 
 
Records:
Sacred Heart: 0-1
Stevens: 1-0
 
Top Performers:
Patrick Mucherino: 13 kills, 1 ace, 8 digs
Mark Berry: 11 kills, 1 ace, 3 digs
Dylan McClung: 9 kills, 2 aces, 1 dig
 
How It Happened:
The Pioneers and Ducks maintained back-and-forth play in the opening set until the first media timeout. The Pios then went on a 6-2 run to take the lead 23-16. Stevens was unable to answer, finishing the set with a 25-21 Pioneer win.
 
Sacred Heart started the second set off strong leading with as much as seven, 18-11. However, the Ducks responded with a 14-4 run to win the second 25-22.
 
Stevens controlled the third set, never giving up the lead after the third point. The Pioneers had six attacking errors and .152 to Stevens' .500.
 
The fourth set went back and forth with Sacred Heart leading by as much as four, 12-8. After being tied at 16, Stevens went on a 10-3 run to take the match in four.
 
Patrick Mucherino paced the Sacred Heart offense Saturday with 13 kills. Mucherino also led the SHU defense with eight digs. Mark Berry and Dylan McClung were second and third on the team with 11 and nine kills, respectively. At setter, Teddy Payne assisted 29 of the Pioneers' 51 kills to go along with seven digs.
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers return home Friday, January 12, at 7:00 p.m. to face Purdue Fort Wayne.