Box Score

Lewisburg, PA- The Red Flash closed out their opening weekend of CWPA play falling 12-5 to the host school Bucknell Bison at Kinney Natatorium.
 
The Bison struck first on Sunday morning, scoring just after killing off an early exclusion that was drawn by Kelly Fehr (Erie, Pa/Villa Maria Academy).  The Bison rode that early momentum into a big first quarter. Bucknell scored the first six goals of the game as SFU could not solve the Bison defense and keeper Haley Derrod. Just before the end of the first, the Red Flash got on the board as Emily Wickenheiser (Mechanicsburg, Pa/Cumberland Valley) beat Herrod thanks to a feed from Tina Bonilla. The Bison led 6-1 after the first.
 
The Red Flash got a bit of luck to start the second as Kate Wilke (Burbank, Calif./Burroughs) got a piece of a shot that hit the post, and Wilke was able to capture the rebound. Wilke was able to start the transition offense as Bonilla and Wickenheiser teamed up for the second goal, with Bonilla getting the goal the second time around. SFU got within three after Wickenheiser scored again, getting a pass from Kelsey Gring (Sinking Spring, Pa/Wilson). That would be as close as the Red Flash would get as Bucknell scored the final three goals of the half to lead 9-3 after two quarters.
 
Saint Francis killed off two Bucknell power plays to start the second half but the Red Flash could not capitalize on that momentum or their own power play. The Bison recorded tallies on back-to-back possessions to lead 11-3 and added a third tally in the quarter. In the fourth, the defense took over as the teams traded 12 turnovers to start the quarter with a Wilke save sandwiched in the middle. The Red Flash killed off an exclusion, thanks to a pair of Wilke saves and Kelly Fehr (Erie, Pa/Villa Maria Academy) was able to take the Wilke outlet pass for the goal. After another SFU defensive stop, Wickenheiser scored her third of the game late in the fourth to round out the scoring.
 
Bucknell out shot SFU 32-20 with Kate Wilke (Burbank, Calif./Burroughs) making 12 saves to lead the Red Flash. Wilke and Erin O'Neill (Landsdale, Pa/North Penn) led the team with three steals each on the defensive side. Emily Wickenheiser (Mechanicsburg, Pa/Cumberland Valley) paced the offense with three goals and an assist but Bucknell's Emily Konishi had a game-high four goals and five assists for Bucknell. The loss drops SFU to 10-15 on the season and 0-4 in CWPA play. The Red Flash are off next weekend and will head to Brown on April 14^th to take on Hartwick and Indiana on the 14^th and Harvard and Brown on April 15^th.