BOX SCORE FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Jan. 4, 2013) – Despite putting up its highest first-half scoring total of the season, the Saint Francis University women's basketball team fell to Sacred Heart, 95-88, in the Northeast Conference Opener on Saturday afternoon.

The Pioneers (4-8, 1-0) embarked on an 18-2 run midway through the second half to pull away from the Red Flash (2-10, 0-1) en route to their sixth consecutive regular season victory over SFU.

Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) paced the Red Flash offense with 27 points, the senior also added nine rebounds and five assists. Gabriell Washington led all scorers with 35 points, she converted on 12-of-15 free throws to carry the Pioneers.

"We got good looks early on in the first half and we converted them, but in the second half we didn't make enough shots," SFU head coach Joe Haigh said.

Saint Francis led by as much as seven in the first half with less than six minutes to play, the score was then knotted at 48 apiece at the halftime break.

Sacred Heart started the second period on a 7-0 run, and SFU had to battle back. After a lay-up from Shaqeia Stokes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods), the Red Flash held a 67-63 lead with 12:55 to play. Two free throws from Alexa Hayward (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) would be the only points the Flash would earn over the next six and a half minutes.

SHU extended its lead to as much as 13 and put the Red Flash away down the stretch.

Bridget Murphy (Bethlehem, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) posted 14 points off the bench on a 6-of-11 shooting day, while Hayward finished with 13 points.

Rebecca Keegan (Jessup, Pa./Valley View) added nine rebounds and a career-high four blocks. Taylor Allison (State College, Pa./State College) recorded her first basket of her collegiate career.

"Our kids played hard with a lot of intensity, but we need to do a better job of making baskets down the stretch," Haigh continued.

SFU finished the game shooting nearly 46% from the field, including a 47% (9-19) mark from beyond the arc.

Saint Francis makes its final stop of its six-game stand away from Loretto as it takes on Central Connecticut State at 7 p.m. on Monday. SFU most recently defeated CCSU in its Northeast Conference Quarterfinal match-up last season, 66-63, inside DeGol Arena.

"CCSU is a veteran team and they are very talented, we expect a physical game and we have to work on our decision making to eliminate some of the mental mistakes before we play on Monday," said Haigh.