Saint Francis University Athletics

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA- The Red Flash defense held strong all night and Julia Hernan made seven saves but a unlucky bounce and a tremendous shot were the difference in a 2-0 setback to Virginia in the NCAA Opening Round on a cold night at Klockner Stadium.
 
With temperatures dipping into the 20s on Saturday night, the Red Flash defense held their line, blocking six shots and forced Virginia to fire from distance all match long. Despite the robust shot numbers, the Red Flash held the #12 Cavaliers to at bay while generating several scoring chances off their own counter-attack.
 
"We executed our game plan perfectly," Head Coach Brenda Van Stralen said. "I cannot be anything other than extremely proud of our players and our team tonight."
 
FIRST HALF RECAP

• UVA pressured the backline early but the Red Flash defense forced the Cavs to shoot from distance
• The Red Flash countered consistently throughout the half with Emilee Barnett getting the match's first shot on goal from about 30 yards out six minutes in
• Hernan picked up her first save of the match in the 15^th minute off a Taylor Ziemer skip shot from about 20 yards out
• The Red Flash defended a corner kick blocking a UVA shot and clearing it out of harm's way in the 17^th minute
• Virginia scored the match's first goal, as Veronica Latsko got to a loose ball in the goal box off a corner kick to score in the 24^th minute
• After the goal, the first half was bottled up in the midfield, with neither team getting much pressure
• UVA would lead 1-0 at the intermission

 
SECOND HALF RECAP

• The Red Flash defense rose to the occasion out of the half, blocking down two UVA shots with Hernan collecting a save
• Siobhan Bross and McGhee connected on a nice one-two pass to set up a corner kick in the 54^th minute
• The Cavaliers scored on the counter-attack from the SFU set piece as Taryn Torres made a clever move to get free in the goal box and scored her eighth goal of the year on a low shot inside the near post
• In the 67^th minute, Julia Hernan had her best save of the night on the near post, then juked an attacker to clear the rebound
• The Red Flash continued to counter at timely places throughout the half, Alyssa McGhee and Siobhan Bross each just missed on chances
• Saint Francis' defense did a tremendous job of holding their lines, forcing tight angled shots and shots from distance out of the Cavs
• Saint Francis made one final strong push in the 82^nd but Bross' shot sailed just wide of the frame

Saint Francis concludes yet another memorable season with a 10-8-3 overall mark and another Northeast Conference crown. Virginia moved to 12-5-4 and hosts Pepperdine in the second round next weekend.