BALTIMORE, Md.  (Sept. 9, 2006) – The Saint Francis women’s volleyball team swept Kennesaw State 3-0 on Saturday morning to advance into the championship match at the Chesapeake Challenge, but Youngstown State defeated the Red Flash 3-1 to take the tournament title.                                                       

Saint Francis improved to 5-5 with a 3-1 record in the tournament, including Friday victories over North Carolina A&T and tournament-host Loyola-Md. The Red Flash defeated Kennesaw State 30-22, 30-27, 30-22 to set up the championship match. The Penguins downed Saint Francis by scores of 30-18, 30-18, 28-30, 30-25.

The Red Flash will be back in action with a pair of matches against Duquesne (1 p.m.) and Morehead State (3 p.m.) when they begin play at the Youngstown State Invitational on Friday.

Sophomore Keshia Gibbs (Dumfries, Va. / Forest Park) sparked the win over Kennesaw State with 14 kills and just one error on 21 total attacks (.619). She added 1 dig and 1 block for 14.5 points. Sophomore Kristin Buter (Bowie, Md. / Bowie) had 9 kills, 3 assists, 4 service aces, 6 digs and 1 block for 13.5 points, and senior Anne Roosevelt (Plymouth, Mich. / Mercy) had 7 kills, 3 digs and 3 blocks in the match.

The Red Flash fell behind 2-0 in the match against the Penguins, and rallied for a 30-28 win in the third game. However, Youngstown State (6-5) took Game 4 for the tournament title.

Roosevelt led the way in the match with 16.5 points behind 14 kills, 2 aces, 13 digs and 1 blocks. Buter pitched in with 9 kills, an ace and 2 blocks, Gibbs had 9 kills and 2 blocks, and senior Linda Dolansky (Rahway, N.J. / Union Catholic Regional) had 10 kills and 8 digs.