LORETTO, PA- Central Connecticut grabbed a 10-1 lead early in the first quarter and Saint Francis could never recover in a 79-59 setback on Saturday afternoon in DeGol Arena. 

The Red Flash were stymied once again by CCSU, as they shot just 3-25 from three-point range and 32 percent for the game overall in the loss. CCSU used a balanced attack, putting four players in double figures in the victory. Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) led the Flash with 11 points and seven rebounds on a meager 5-19 shooting.

CCSU scored on five of their first seven possessions and held the Flash without a field goal for the first four and a half minutes of the game. CCSU led 11-3 at the first quarter media timeout as Cydney Smith (Port Tobacco, Md./St. Mary's Ryken)'s lay-up was the only field goal for the Flash. SFU would get back into the game, using a Halee Adams (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) lay-in and successful trips to the line by Adams and Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md./Western (Hampton U)) to cut the lead to six at 15-9. The Blue Devils always seemed to have an answer on Saturday, mounting a 6-2 run to push the lead into double digits at 21-11 to close the first quarter. 

Samiah Bethel (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) and Aisha Brock (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) got the Flash going in the second, a Brock three followed a Bethel lay-in to cut the Blue Devil lead to five. CCSU would push the lead back to 10 over the next two minutes, getting lay-ins on three-straight possessions. Again the Flash would cut into the lead, Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) hit her only three attempt of the game and Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) and Smtih had lay-ins to cut the deficit to three at 34-31. Again, the Blue Devils would have an answer, pushing the lead to nine at 40-31 after the Flash missed threes on three consecutive trips down the floor. A late three-point play by Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) cut the lead to 40-34 at the half. 

Saint Francis would cut the lead to four on two different occasions in the third quarter. Jess Kovatch got the Flash started with a jumper and Wynn followed with two from the line. But the Flash would go scoreless for over four minutes in the third and would get no closer than four. CCSU ran the lead back out to 11 on a 7-0 run and would keep the lead in double digits for the rest of the quarter. The Flash would trail 63-51 heading into the fourth. 

The Red Flash shooting woes continued into the fourth. SFU was held without a field goal for nearly five minutes to start the quarter, getting just three free throws. But the Flash defense held CCSU to just one field goal during that span. SFU would manage just three field goals for the quarter and the Blue Devils iced the game and pull away from the foul line, going 8-8 down the stretch. 

Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) finished the day 3-3 from the field and her nine points were second-most on the team. Ward had a team-high eight rebounds while Halee Adams (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) had two of the team's four assists. 

The loss drops the Red Flash to 6-5 in the NEC and 8-14 overall. CCSU improved to 6-5 in the NEC and 8-13 overall. The Flash are now in a log-jam with Robert Morris, CCSU, and FDU who are all at either 7-4 or 6-5 in conference. Saint Francis will look to hand NEC-leading Bryant their second-straight loss on Monday when they welcome in the Bulldogs for a 5 p.m. tip.