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LORETTO, PA- Saint Francis women's basketball will look to start 2-0 in conference for the first time since the 2012-13 season when they take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers at DeGol Arena on Monday night at 730.

ABOUT THE FLASH
Saint Francis is coming off a 93-78 home victory over Wagner on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) scored 18 of her team-high (and a career-high) 35 in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. The turning point was a 12-0 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters that broke open a 63-63 tie. SFU overcame a 42-point effort from the Seahawks Jasmine Nwajei in the victory. Saint Francis ramped up the defense in the second half, holding the Seahawks to 33 points on just 31 percent shooting. SFU held Wagner to just 18 percent from deep in the second half on just 2-11 shooting. The Red Flash forced 17 turnovers and turned them into 27 points in the victory. Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) also had a career high with 16 points and chipped in three assists, two rebounds and two steals in the victory. Halee Adams (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) added a team-high 10 rebounds for the Red Flash.

ABOUT THE PIONEERS
Sacred Heart dropped a 78-63 decision at Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon to fall to 2-10 overall on the season and 0-1 in Northeast Conference play. The two teams share a victory over Coastal Carolina this season with the Pioneers winning 71-62 and the Red Flash winning 106-74. The Flash will have to find an answer for junior wing Hannah Kimmel. The red shirt junior was named to the All-NEC pre-season team and is averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per game. In a 101-90 SHU victory last year in Loretto, the then-sophomore had 26 points and 23 rebounds in the victory. Alissa Tarsi had 14 points for the Pioneers in the loss at RMU and is averaging 11 points per game this season. 

ABOUT THE MATCHUP
This will be the 30th meeting overall between the two schools, with the Pioneers leading 18-11 all time. Sacred Heart swept the season series last year with a 82-77 win at home and a 101-90 win in Loretto. The last time the Flash beat Sacred Heart it was the memorable 132-124 double overtime victory on March 9, 2014 as part of the NEC tournament. 

LOOKING AHEAD
The Flash will hit the road for their first NEC road trip next weekend as they travel to the Big Apple to take on LIU and St. Francis Brooklyn. The Blackbirds are up first with a 2 p.m. tip-off scheduled for next Saturday.