HACKENSACK, N.J. (Feb. 19, 2011) – Fairleigh Dickinson held off a late Saint Francis University charge to hand the Red Flash just their third Northeast Conference loss of the season, 62-58, at the Rothman Center on Saturday afternoon.

FDU (13-13; 6-9 NEC) held and edge for most of the contest, building a first-half 11-point lead and claimed a game-high 13-point lead at the 16:34 mark of the second period. The Flash, meanwhile, led by two under two minutes into the game, but eventually stormed back to grab a four-point advantage with 6:29 to play in regulation.

“We didn't start out shooting very well, but we didn't really shoot well the whole game,” said Flash head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl. “But we didn't play good defense. If you play good defense and you rebound, you will be right there.”

“Good teams,” Robinson Fructhl paused. “Great teams will be ahead at the end of the game. We didn't do those things.”

The Red Flash shot 31.3 percent (21-for-67) on the game, while the Knights fired at a 38.3 percent (23-for-60) clip. FDU out-rebounded Saint Francis, 46-43.

Senior Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) was, once again, the offensive star for SFU, pouring in 25 points. She also pulled down a game- and career-high 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

No other Flash player scored more than nine points.

The Knights, on the other hand, successfully spread the ball around as Alyssa Mayrose tossed in 17 to lead FDU's four double-digit scorers.

Fairleigh Dickinson had won just seven of nine games since taking the Red Flash to overtime at DeGol Arena on Jan. 15 – a contest SFU won, 73-70.

Saturday's contest also provided a look at a potential first-round matchup in the upcoming NEC tournament. The Red Flash can sew up the league's top seed with two wins in their final three games, while the Knights currently stand in the eighth-and-final playoff spot.

Saint Francis (17-9; 12-3 NEC) visits Monmouth on Monday for its final road game of the regular season.