Flash Points:
- Saint Francis improves to 2-0 in their inaugural season with wins over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Mercyhurst
- Emily Wickenheiser (Mechanicsburg, Pa/Cumberland Valley) scored 10 goals across the two games to lead the Red Flash
- Kate Wilke (Burbank, Calif./Burroughs) combined for 15 saves in the two games
CMS Box Score |
Mercyhurst Box
LEWISBURG, PA- The Saint Francis Red Flash got off to a terrific start to their inaugural season with a pair of victories on Saturday, 10-7 over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and 12-7 over Mercyhurst at the Bucknell Bison Invite.
In game one against the Athenas of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS), it would be the Athenas that would strike first on a goal from Roxy Kiessling. But the Red Flash would battle back quickly, peppering the Athena back line with shots,
Kelly Fehr (Erie, Pa/Villa Maria Academy) had the distinction of scoring the first goal in Saint Francis history, an even-strength marker to tie the game at one. The Athenas would take a 2-1 lead before
Emily Wickenheiser (Mechanicsburg, Pa/Cumberland Valley) would strike back moments later for her first of four on the day to tie the game at 2-2. Fehr would tally again later in the period as SFU took its first lead at 3-2. The Red Flash would not look back as Wickenheiser and Fehr would again tally for the Flash to open up a three-goal lead. SFU would hold a multi-goal lead for much of the next two quarters before CMS chipped away. After
Kelsey Gring (Sinking Spring, Pa/Wilson) scored to make it 7-3, the Athenas would score three straight to pull within a goal at 7-6. But Wickenheiser would strike twice more, including on a feed from
Missy McCreary (Altadena, CA/LaSalle (Citrus College)) to bring the lead back out to three at 9-6. The teams would trade late goals but SFU captured its first win in program history.
SFU dominated the stat sheet, out shooting CMS 32-16 and owning a 5-4 advantage on exclusions drawn. Neither team could take advantage in man-up situations with SFU going 0-5 on the power play and CMS 0-4. Wickenheiser and Fehr each scored four times while Gring added a goal and two assists.
In the nightcap for the Red Flash on Saturday, they took on the Mercyhurst Lakers, a team they had bested in come-from-behind fashion during exhibition play in October.
Wickenheiser wasted no time in this one, scoring her fifth of the season just 19 seconds in to give SFU the early lead. The advantage would not last long as the Lakers struck just 30 seconds later to tie the game at one in the opening minute of play. Things settled down from there until
Melani Aghazarian (Glendale, Calif./Glendale (La Valley College)) was called for a foul and Mercyhurst capitalized on the man advantage to take a 2-1 lead with six minutes left in the first. The lead again did not last long as
Amber Rogers (Souderton, Pa/Souderton) lit the lamp for Saint Francis to tie the game at 2-2. Freshman goalie Katie Wilke was called upon early and often in this match, making a pair of key saves in the first period, including a penalty shot to keep the game tied. The save proved pivotal as Wickenheiser scored less than a minute later to give SFU a 3-2 lead late in the first.
Kelly Fehr (Erie, Pa/Villa Maria Academy) made it 4-2 Red Flash when she scored on the power play with under a minute to go. It would be 4-2 SFU after one quarter.
The goalies would shine early in the second quarter with Wilke making a save and Madison Maes stopping an Aghazarian attempt. Wilke caught a break when the Lakers' Jennifer Moshinsky rang one off the post, leading to Wickenheiser's third goal of the game to make it 5-2 midway through the quarter. The freshman would get called for a penalty moments later and the Lakers took advantage to make it a two-goal game once again. The Red Flash would lead 7-4 at the half after Wickenheiser scored her fourth of the match Gring added a late tally.
An early goal by Mercyhurst brought them within two to start the third, but the story of the third would be missed opportunities. Wickenheiser would hit the post and Wilke would stop another penalty shot by the Lakers, keeping it a two-goal game. Wickenheiser would get a penalty shot opportunity of her own later in the period, cashing in her fifth goal of the game to put SFU up 8-5.
Amber Rogers (Souderton, Pa/Souderton) made it 9-5 with her second of the game and Gring made it a five-goal Red Flash lead heading into the fourth with a late goal of her own.
The Lakers would score a power-play goal to cut it to 10-6 but wouldn't get any closer in the final eight minutes.
Missy McCreary (Altadena, CA/LaSalle (Citrus College)) tallied her first Red Flash goal to send the lead back out to five and Wickenheiser put an exclamation point on her day with her sixth tally later in the frame.
The Lakers out shot SFU 27-23 but 10 big saves by Wilke and six goals from Wickenheiser proved to be the difference. Each team drew nine exclusions, with Mercyhurst capitalizing on three man-advantages compared to just one for the Red Flash.
The Red Flash now sit at 2-0 after the first day of the Bison Invite and will take on St. Francis Brooklyn tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. to wrap up the invitational.
