CINCINNATI – The Saint Francis women's basketball team opened its season Saturday afternoon at Cincinnati, and a back-and-forth contest swung in the Bearcats' favor. UC defeated the Red Flash, 93-86.

Despite the loss, perhaps the most encouraging aspect of Saturday's contest was the emergence of some newcomers. The Flash's two leading scorers were both freshmen. Madison Johnson (Knox, Pa./Keystone) came off the bench to lead the team with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor while making all four of her free throws. Fifteen of her 18 points came in the second half. In the third quarter, Cincinnati expanded its lead to seven at 61-54, but scores on consecutive trips by Johnson cut the deficit back to a one-possession game. Her layup with just under a minute remaining in the third tied the score at 61-61 as SFU went on to take a 63-61 lead into the fourth quarter.  

That fourth quarter turned Cincinnati's way when another Red Flash freshman, Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg), picked up her fifth personal foul just over a minute into the period. To that point, Kovatch had been the biggest thorn in the Bearcats' side, and it started from the opening tip. Kovatch scored the first six points for the Flash in the game on a pair of three pointers. Later in the quarter, she converted a three-point play to tie the score at 16.

When she fouled out with 8:51 remaining, Cincinnati had just taken a 65-63 lead on a layup. The Flash would only be that close twice more in the game, and not after Samiah Bethel (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) scored to make it 69-67 with 7:18 to play. Bethel was the third SFU player in double figures with 15 points. She also added four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.

After that play, the Bearcats slowly increased its lead as it matched the Flash basket-for-basket until the lead reached double figures with 4:01 to play.

SFU also received contributions from a couple of new starters. Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) was the fourth Red Flash player to hit double figures, finishing with 11 points and seven assists. Halee Adams (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) scored seven points and added seven rebounds.

Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) flirted with a double-double, as well, finishing with eight points and eight rebounds.

The Flash was looking for its first-ever victory over Cincinnati in its fifth try. SFU now turns its attention to its home opener on Monday night against Pittsburgh. Tip is set for 7 p.m.