Women's Basketball 2/14/2009 6:34:13 PM

Red Flash Tripped Up by Pioneers on PinkZone Day

LORETTO, Pa. (Feb. 14, 2008) – It may have been Valentine's Day, but the Saint Francis women's basketball team didn't get much love from the Sacred Heat as they fell to the Pioneers 76-69 on Saturday afternoon at DeGol Arena.

The loss, which is the first in regulation since January 17 for the Red Flash, came on the team's annual PinkZone Day. SFU sported pink jerseys in an effort to promote breast cancer awareness, and survivors were honored at halftime. Prior to the game, the team honored Mary Ann Opfar, the wife of head football coach Dave Opfar, who lost her battle with cancer yesterday.

The two teams traded three-pointers to start the scoring off, and traded points for most of the first few minutes. The Red Flash were able to go on a 7-0 scoring run, taking a 16-9 lead off of a Britney Hodges (Dayton, Ohio/Mount de Chantal) (Dayton, Ohio/Mount de Chantal) lay up with 14:37 remaining in the first half.

Maggie Cosgrove put up a jumper to start a 15-2 run that put the Pioneers up 24-18 with eight and a half minutes to play. Kaitlin Sowinski then fouled Brittany Lilley (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park), sending her to the line for two points and putting an end to SHU's scoring run.

A lay up by Quinessa Johnson (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) brought SFU within two, where they would stay until Alisa Apo sunk a free-throw shot to put the Pioneers ahead by three. Another jumper from Cosgrove gave SHU a five-point advantage. Kelsey Caruthers (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) scored on a free-throw shot and a lay up in the final minutes, but the Red Flash went into the locker room down 33-27.

The Pioneers were able to maintain an advantage of about eight points for the first part of the second period. Whitney Robinson (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont) (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont) put up a lay up to cut the lead down to four, but three-pointers by Cosgrove and Apo soon put Sacred Heart back up by ten.

With 3:15 remaining in the game, Janie Killian (Verona, Pa./Penn Hills) (Verona, Pa./Penn Hills) went to the free throw line and came away with two, cutting the Pioneers' lead down to five. Sacred Heart went back up by seven before Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) cut into the lead with two free throws.

Lilley was fouled while putting up a lay up and made the ensuing free-throw to make it a three-point play. However, the Red Flash sent Cosgrove to the line, sealing the 76-69 victory for the Pioneers.

Sowinski was sent to the free-throw line 11 times and came away with 7 of her 27 points there. Apo, who had four three-point shots, also put up 27 points. Cosgrove was the only other player in the double-digits for the Pioneers with 11 points. Callan Taylor led Sacred Heart with 11 of their 30 boards.

Lilley led the Red Flash with 16 points and five rebounds, with Leach close behind at 14 points and 3 assists. Killian put up 10 points, and Allison Daly (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) had 12 points and six rebounds.

The Flash's 38 rebounds were a group effort, as Caruthers, Robinson Hodges and Lilley each had five, and Daly led the way with six.

Saint Francis shot 45 percent from the field and kept their turnovers to just 16, one of their lowest totals of the season. The reserves accounted for 11 of the team's points, and another 11 were scored off of turnovers.

Saint Francis remains in Loretto to host Quinnipiac University on Monday night at DeGol Arena with a chance to clinch a play-off berth. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Print Friendly Version