Flash Points: 

• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) had a team-high 27 points in the win
• SFU dished out 19 assists on 26 baskets
• Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) had a near double-double with 16 points and 9 rebounds

TEANECK, N.J.- Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) sank two free throws with six seconds left and Saint Francis held off an upstart Fairleigh Dickinson squad in a 82-79 road victory in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams. 

A Taylor Allison (State College, Pa./State College) three pointer with just over four minutes left gave Saint Francis an 11-point lead at 73-62. But as was the story all night long, FDU would not go away easily. The Knights chipped away at the Red Flash lead as SFU was held without a field goal over the final 2:32. Kovatch and Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes (Manhattan)) split their respective trips to the line and Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) hit two big free throws to keep the hard-charging Knights at bay. Amina Markovic had a game-high 32 for FDU in a losing effort. The Red Flash did a good job denying Markovic the ball over the final few possessions and the SFU defense forced FDU to miss their last four shots from the field. 

Saint Francis cashed in early from distance on Thursday night, as Kovatch, Harrison and Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) each connected from distance as SFU jumped out to a 12-5 lead. SFU led by as many as eight in the frame. But FDU would hit a pair of threes of their own to cut into the Red Flash lead, SFU would lead 19-16 after the first 10 minutes. 

Samiah Bethel (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) connected on an old-fashioned three-point play at the start of the second quarter as once again, SFU opened up an eight-point lead. It would grow to as many as 10 on a Reese lay-up before SFU would go cold from the field. SFU would go scoreless for a four-plus minute stretch in the quarter but the Knights could only close within a basket during the drought. Key threes by Kovatch and Harrison extended the lead back out to six. Harrison then followed up the basket with a key block that led to Taylor Allison (State College, Pa./State College) buzzer-beating three. SFU took a 42-33 lead into the locker room. 

The teams traded baskets for much of the third quarter as a Kovatch three put SFU up 52-44 with just over three minutes remaining. The Knights as they did all game long, chipped away at the lead. Markovic scored 11 of her 32 in the quarter as the Knights closed the quarter on a 10-4 run to make it a one-possession game heading into the fourth. SFU jumped out of the gate in the fourth on a 6-0 run to re-establish their eight-point lead. The teams would trade baskets until a pair of Harrison free throws pushed the lead back out to double figures. But the graduate transfer would foul out of the game soon after as FDU charged back for the frantic finish eerily similar to the setback the Red Flash had at FDU last season. However, this time around SFU hit on six of their final eight free throws and Courtney Blankenship's game-tying three kicked out of bounds and Saint Francis won their conference opener for the second-straight season. 

Fairleigh Dickinson won the battle of the secondary stats, out rebounding SFU 54-37 including 32-14 on the offensive glass. That led to a 27-12 edge in second-chance points and a 34-22 edge in the paint. SFU dished out 19 assists on 26 baskets, their second-highest total of the season. Harrison led the way with five helpers but five different players had at least two assists. Amina Markovic led FDU with a game-high 32 points and 11 rebounds. Kovatch led SFU with 27 and added eight rebounds of her own. Joining her in double figures were Harrison who had 16 points and nine rebounds and Halee Adams (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle (Sienna)) who had 10 points and a game-high three steals. 

The win moves SFU to 4-8 on the season but more importantly, 1-0 in the NEC. Fairleigh Dickinson drops to 2-10 on the year and 0-1 in conference. The Red Flash close out the opening weekend of conference play on Saturday when they take on Sacred Heart inside the Pitt Center. Tip time from Fairfield, Connecticut is set for 1 p.m.