BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The LIU men's volleyball team opened up conference play on Friday night when it took on Saint Francis U in a rematch of last season's NEC championship match.

The match turned out to be a thriller between the two evenly-matched teams as Red Flash jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, winning the first two sets 25-23 and 25-22. The Sharks never counted themselves out as whenever Saint Francis U tried to put them away, they fought back. The Sharks would control the third set, winning 25-22. In the fourth, the Red Flash looked to walk away with the win leading 24-22 until Arthur Sueur stepped to the service line after a kill. An SFU attack error and two Sueur aces would send the match to the fifth and final set. The fifth set was as back and forth as it could get with neither team able to record consecutive points. That was until the Red Flash rattled off two points late in the set. The Sharks would fall 13-15 in the set and lose the match in five. 

Kale Spencer had a team-high 13 kills, followed by Chase Celichowski who recorded 11. 

Jack Sarnowski led the Sharks in both assists (30) and digs (13).

In his first start of the season, Drew McNellis had a team-high 5.5 total blocks. The Sharks return to the court tomorrow when they rematch Saint Francis U at 7 p.m.