LORETTO, Pa. (Nov. 21, 2014) – Saint Francis U senior forward Shaqeia Stokes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) scored a career-high 17 points, but the team struggled overall from the offensive end and fell to East Tennessee State on Friday night, 79-63, inside DeGol Arena.

The Red Flash (0-3) could not get shots to fall consistently from the beginning of the contest and never led against the Buccaneers (3-1). ETSU opened the game with an 11-2 run and never let the Red Flash get to within more than three for the remainder.

Stokes shot 50% (7-14) from the field and added a team-high nine rebounds. Alexa Hayward (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) poured in 22 points for the Flash, while Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) rounded out the players in double-figures for SFU with 10 points.

"East Tennessee State dictated the pace of the game. We struggled offensively and we were never able to make it up, and that is a credit to them," said SFU head coach Joe Haigh.

Following the Bucs run to start the game, SFU battled back to within three with 12:33 to play in the opening period after Aisha Brock (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) converted on 1-of-2 free throws. Saint Francis went just 12-of-23 from the charity stripe during the game.

Saint Francis U saw ETSU extend its lead to as much as 12 in the first half and held the Red Flash to a season low 26 points at the break.

SFU came out of halftime on a quick 4-0 run after lay-ups from Hayward and Stokes. That momentum was quickly erased when the Bucs got back to a double-digit lead.

Hayward was called for an offensive foul at the 12:22 mark and followed on the next possession with a lay-up and a free throw and SFU looked to threaten yet again. The senior captain came down the lane again and was fouled on another lay-up and Saint Francis trailed just 50-46.

The Buccaneers followed with an 8-2 run after SFU's brief momentum swing and never let the Flash back into the game.

SFU finished shooting just 32% (24-74) and 12% (3-25) from beyond the arc. ETSU also outrebounded the Flash, 62-48.

"We need to do a better job rebounding the basketball, especially on the offensive end," Haigh continued.

Saint Francis takes a short Thanksgiving break and returns to DeGol Arena on Nov. 30 as Canisius visits Loretto for a 2 p.m. match-up.