BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart University men's volleyball clinched a berth in the 2024 NEC Tournament with a sweep of D'Youville University on the road Friday in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
Records:
Sacred Heart: 11-18, 3-8 NEC
D'Youville: 10-12, 1-10 NEC
 
Top Performers:
Patrick Mucherino: 19 kills (.389), 2 aces, 2 blocks, 22.5 points
Carlos Santa Cruz: 12 kills (.500), 12 points
Teddy Payne: 35 assists, 6 digs, 1 ace, 1 block
 
How It Happened:
In the first set, the Pioneers secured a five-point lead, 11-6, with a kill from Patrick Mucherino. The Saints came within two to force a SHU timeout. Back-to-back kills from the Saints brought them within one as SHU still led 23-22. Dylan McClung secured the win for the Pios with an ace 25-22.
 
The second set saw more back-and-forth play until the Pioneers pulled away on a 5-3 run with kills from Mucherino and Carlos Santa Cruz to lead 14-11. SHU continued to pull away from the Saints just enough to stop them from coming back off a late set rally and secured the 25-22 win.
 
The Pios outperformed the Saints in the third, hitting .400 and securing six blocks. After back-and-forth play throughout the set, Santa Cruz secured the Pioneer victory, 25-23.
 
Patrick Mucherino led the Pioneers with 19 kills, hitting .389 while also tabbing two aces and two blocks. Santa Cruz also hit well securing 12 kills. Setter Teddy Payne had 35 assists, led the team in digs with six, and tabbed an ace and a block.
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers head to Amherst, N.Y., to face Daemen University Saturday April, 13^th, in their regular-season finale at 4:00 p.m.