LIVE STATS
NEC FRONT ROW

SETTING THE STAGE
Saint Francis takes on conference rival Sacred Heart today in a contest that marks the mid-point of the Northeast Conference schedule. Saint Francis enters the game unbeaten in conference play and is boasting its best overall record in school history. The Red Flash enter Friday's showdown with a NEC best 1.61 scoring margin and are averaging 2.99 goals a contest. Despite having played the second fewest games of any team in the NEC, the Flash hold the conference lead in goals with 39 and rank third in the NEC in shutouts with two. The Flash also enters their showdown with the Pioneers boasting the best goals-against average in the Northeast Conference (1.38). One of the biggest reasons for SFU's scoring out break this season has been sharing the ball. The Flash rank tied for first in the league in assists per contest and stand as the only NEC squad averaging more than two assists per game. In three leagues games so far this season SFU has allowed just three goals (a league best) while also scoring a NEC best 11 goals in conference action.
 
The Red Flash features two of the top scoring threats in the Northeast Conference in Autumn Pellman (Millerstown, Pa./Greenwood) and Carissa Makea (Auckland, New Zealand/Rosehill College). Pellman leads the conference in goals with 11 while Makea enters Friday's game with 10 and sits tied for second in the NEC. Rookie Selena Adamshick (Harveys Lake, Pa./Lake-Lehman) also sits in the Top 10 in the conference in scoring ranking tied for 10th with six goals this season. Tia Dudukovich (Port Matilda, Pa./State College Area) stands atop the conference standings in assists with 10 helpers this season. In the cage for SFU, Kate Vitali (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) leads the Northeast Conference in goals-against average and has allowed the fewest total goals of any NEC goalkeeper with 10 or more starts. Vitali also enters the contest with Sacred Heart ranked second in the NEC in save percentage.
 
Sacred Heart enters today's game on a four game losing skid and has fallen in seven of its last eight. The Pioneers started the season strong winning their first three games and four of their first five but since then SHU owns just one win. The Pioneers started the conference season with some of the top teams in the league including preseason favorite Monmouth (L, 2-4), defending conference champion Rider (L, 0-1 2OT) and Quinnipiac (L, 0-2). Liz Bergman leads the Pioneers in scoring with four goals and nine points on the season. Her sister, Sarah Bergman sits just behind her with two goals and four assists on the season. In the cage, Mary Altepeter has been solid and ranks 15th nationally in save-percentage and 23rd nationally in saves per game.
 
LAST SEASON: SFU 4, SHU 0
Autumn Pellman (Millerstown, Pa./Greenwood) scored twice in the first half and picked up an assist in the second half as the Red Flash earned a 4-0 win in Fairfield, Conn. against Sacred Heart. Kate Vitali (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) stopped all four shots she saw as the Flash opened the conference season with a win. The Flash outshot the Pioneers 19-11 and out cornered SHU 9-8 while also not allowing SHU a shot on cage in the second half. Jocelyn Scillia (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Kellie Mason (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) each scored in the first four minutes of the second half as SFU put the game out of reach.
 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
1 - Autumn Pellman (Millerstown, Pa./Greenwood) sits just one point away from becoming SFU's all-time points leader.
 
2 - SFU has two of the top goal scorers in the NEC in Pellman and Carissa Makea (Auckland, New Zealand/Rosehill College).
 
4- The Flash enter today's contest on a four-game winning streak.
 
NEXT UP
Saint Francis wraps up its two-game conference home stand against Quinnipiac Sunday at 1 p.m. at DeGol Field. Sunday will be Senior Day for the SFU field hockey team.