FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Senior Robert Costigan and freshman Shawn Tischler combined for 20 kills and a .515 attack percentage Wednesday evening as Sacred Heart University defeated Lasell College, 3-1, in a non-conference men's volleyball match at the Pitt Center. 

The Pioneers won the first two sets by scores of 25-12 and 25-15 before Lasell outlasted the home team to take the third set, 26-24. Sacred Heart bounced back with a decisive victory in the fourth set, 25-9, to close out the match, 3-1. 

Costigan smashed a match-high 11 kills with a .429 attack percentage (11-2-20) while Tischler added nine kills with no errors for a .643 percentage (9-0-14). They helped the Pioneers record their second straight win to improve to 2-4 overall while Lasell drops to 1-5. 

Junior Jordan Aprea (Newington, Conn.) had a strong performance for the Lasers, posting a team-high seven kills, a .316 attack percentage and a team-high 13 digs. Junior setter Andy Henriquez (Lawrence, Mass.) tallied 19 assists, four digs and two blocks.

SHU took an early 7-1 in the first set before Lasell battled back to pull to within one point, 8-7. The Lasers were within three points at 14-11 before the Pioneers rattled off 10 straight points to go up 24-11 before winning the set, 25-12. 

The second set went back and forth, and the score was tied at 12-12. A 6-0 run put the Pioneers ahead for good, and they closed out the set with five consecutive points to win, 25-15. 

The third set was also tight, with Lasell pulling ahead to leads of 7-5 and 13-10. The teams battled closely, and with the score tied at 24-24, a SHU error and an Aprea kills gave the set to the Lasers. 

The fourth set belonged to the home team, as the Pioneers took leads of 7-3 and 11-4. SHU then went on an 8-2 run to open up the score, and finished off the set with a 7-1 burst.

Lasell will be right back in action Thursday with a non-conference match at Endicott College at 7:00 p.m.

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