LORETTO, Pa. (Dec. 6, 2009) – Britney Hodges (Dayton, Ohio/Mount de Chantal)  (Dayton, Ohio/Mount de Chantal) did a little bit of everything, including setting a new career high in steals, as she led the Saint Francis women's basketball team to their first win of the season over Northeast Conference for Mount St. Mary's 68-51 on Sunday afternoon at DeGol Arena.  

Hodges, who led the team with 20 points, had seven steals, seven rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes of action.  Prior to the game, the senior guard was honored for scoring her 1,000th career points last week against Pittsburgh.

A superb defensive effort by Saint Francis kept the Mount scoreless for the first four and a half minutes, as took a quick 9-0 lead.   Kelley Doogan (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy)'s (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy) free-throw put SFU in the lead 13-5, and Quinessa Johnson (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) added five more points to put them up 20-10.  However, their promising start almost came to an end as Hodges' layup with 10:20 remaining in the first half was the last time the Red Flash would score for a full eight minutes.

Mount St. Mary's came within three points of tying the game up with three minutes left in the game, but a three-pointer by Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) spurred a 9-2 scoring run to end the first half with SFU ahead 35-22.

A three-pointer from Johnson started off the second half for the Red Flash, and a lay up from Shene Fleming (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade Julienne) gave Saint Francis an 18 -point lead.    A steal from Hodges turned into a layup for Leach, who was fouled on the shot.  The ensuing free throw gave Saint Francis a 44-25 advantage over the Mount.  

From there on out, SFU's lead stayed in the double-digits.  Hodges had three consecutive buckets, the last of which came off a steal by Leach.   A layup by Mary Dunn put the Mount within 13 points of SFU, but a three from Hodges took the lead back up to 16.  MSM's Hassannah Oliver went to the line and came away with two, but Leach fought back with another three.    She then took a trip to the line herself, making both shots and setting the final score at 68-51 in favor of the Red Flash.  

Leach finished the afternoon with 15 points and four steals, while Johnson added 13 points and four rebounds.   Fleming led the team in rebounding with 10 and put up nine points to just miss her first career double double.  

Dunn led the Mount with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Sandra Andresson put up 11 points.

Saint Francis forced 32 turnovers, 19 of which were steals.  They also out-rebounded the Mount 38-37.   One major improvement the team saw was a .800 shooting percentage at the free throw line, a place the Flash have struggled all year.  They also shot 38.5 percent from the field, and were even better (40.0) from beyond the arc.  

After a short break for final exams, the Red Flash will host Youngstown State on December 17 in a 7 p.m. match up at DeGol Arena.