FLASH POINTS

• Jessica Kovatch led the Red Flash with 21 points
• Ace Harrison added 16 points
• Courtney Zezza had five blocks and a team-high seven rebounds
• SFU turned it over 30 times but forced 25
• Toledo had 52 points in the paint

 
TOLEDO, OHIO- Jessica Kovatch led all scorers with 21 points, but a late run from the Rocket propelled them to a 74-66 triumph over the Red Flash in the opening round of the pre-season WNIT.
 
Toledo moves on to face Louisville on Tuesday while the Red Flash drop into the consolation bracket to be played next weekend at a site to be determined.
 
FIRST QUARTER RECAP

• Both teams got off to a slow start with the first field goal of the game coming from Ace Harrison nearly two minutes into the contest, she added a pair of free throws two possessions later as SFU led 4-2 after the opening three minutes
• SFU got going on a Kovatch three pointer, her first of four on the evening to tie the game at 7-7
• A Zezza steal led to a Kyasia Duling bucket as SFU took back the lead on the next possession at 9-7
• Threes by Kovatch and Harrison highlighted a 10-0 run by SFU towards the end of the quarter gave the Red Flash their largest lead at 22-12 and would lead 22-16 after the opening 10 minutes

 
SECOND QUARTER RECAP

• Jumpers by Kroll and Kovatch answered Toledo scores to keep the Red Flash lead at eight through the opening stages of the second quarter
• Toledo cut the lead to four on back-to-back lay-ups
• Another Harrison three stretched the SFU lead back to seven at 31-24
• Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) hit a three moments later as the Red Flash hit their high-water mark in the second quarter with a nine-point 37-28 lead
• The Rockets would close the half on a 9-1 run to trim the SFU lead to 38-37 at the break

 
THIRD QUARTER RECAP

• Toledo carried that momentum into the second half, forcing a pair of SFU turnovers early on
• The Rockets scored 11 of the first 12 points of the third quarter, prompting a SFU timeout
• Four-straight points by Harrison out of the timeout stopped the Rockets' run and cut the Toledo lead to 48-43
• After the Rockets stretched the lead out to 10, an and-one from Courtney Zezza sparked the Red Flash as they trailed 55-47 heading into the fourth

 
FOURTH QUARTER RECAP

• Zezza again hit in the paint and a Kovatch jumper followed to trim the deficit to three at 55-52
• SFU would come up empty on three-straight possessions following the early run and Toledo stretched the lead back out to eight
• Threes from Kovatch and Haley Thomas whittled the lead back down to three at 64-61 with just over four minutes to go
• The Flash could pull no closer, they came up empty on four-straight possessions and buckets from Kaayla McIntyre and Jay Bravo-Harriott sparked a 8-0 run to put Toledo up 11
• Five-straight points by Caitlyn Kroll closed it out for SFU but it wouldn't be enough

 
BY THE NUMBERS
 

• McIntyre led Toledo with 17 points as the Rockets put three players in double figures.
• Toledo had 52 points in the paint and shot 48 percent for the game
• SFU forced 25 turnovers on 15 steals, but turned it over 30 times
• Toledo had 22 points off turnovers, compared to 14 for the Red Flash
• The Red Flash swatted away seven shots, led by Zezza's five

 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash are back in action next weekend in the WNIT consolation round, check out SFUAthletics.com for the time, location, and opponent.