Red Flash Fly By Blackbirds
Dan Griffin
FLASH POINTS
- Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) went for a career-high 30 points
- Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) made it four-straight games with at least 5 threes
- SFU held a 27-6 edge on second-chance points
- SFU topped 100 points for the third time this season
LORETTO, PA- Saint Francis got a career-high 30 from
Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) and drained a season-high 17 threes as they defeated LIU Brooklyn 101-71 on Monday night to improve to 4-0 in the NEC.
The Red Flash dished out a season-high 27 assists on 38 made baskets. The 27 assists are the most in a game since they dropped 28 in a win over FDU on February 25, 2013.
Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) and
Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) each dished out a team-best six assists and six different players had at least two. Saint Francis also drained a season-high 17 threes, with
Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) and
Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) each hitting on 5 of 10. Kroll led all scorers with 30 while Kovatch went for 25.
FIRST QUARTER RECAP
- Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) got off to a hot start with the first five points of the game
- LIU answered with six-straight points, getting to the foul line twice
- Threes by Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) and Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) kept the runs going with SFU answering with six straight
- Kroll and Kovatch poured it on with two more threes each as SFU hit on 7 of 11 in the first quarter from deep
- SFU led 33-21 after the first quarter
SECOND QUARTER RECAP
- Again, the Red Flash got off to a quick start, opening the lead up to 17 with five-straight to start the quarter
- LIU again battled back, scoring eight straight to shrink the SFU lead to nine
- SFU used their transition offense to build back the lead with Kroll, Wynn and Kovatch all scoring in transition to balloon the lead back to 16
- A Leah Morrow (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Africentric) three pushed the lead over 20 and Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) banked in a runner at the buzzer to give SFU a 21-point half-time cushion
- SFU led 58-37 at the half
THIRD QUARTER RECAP
- Kroll and Duling got the Red Flash going again in the second half, buckets by each pushed the lead to 26
- The lead would grow to 27 on a Harrison three and again on another Kroll dive to the basket
- LIU would go on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 21
- SFU closed the quarter on an 8-0 run fueled by threes by Kroll and Cydney Smith (Port Tobacco, Md./St. Mary's Ryken)
- The Red Flash led 84-55 after three
FOURTH QUARTER RECAP
- A pair of Kovatch threes pushed the SFU lead to 32, the high-point of the game
- A lay-up by Kroll got her to the 30-point mark, she was an efficient 12-19 in the contest
- A Carroll three pushed SFU over the Century mark
- The Red Flash moved to 9-7 overall and 4-0 in the NEC with a 101-71 win
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Red Flash grabbed 49 rebounds, led by Kyasia Duling (Zanesville, Ohio/New Albany (Duquesne))'s 8, and out rebounded LIU 49-41
- SFU turned 17 offensive rebounds into 27 points and held a 27-6 edge on second-chance points
- Saint Francis turned 19 turnovers into 19 points, thanks to 11 steals, Jenna Mastellone (New York City/Archbishop Molloy) had a game-high four thefts
- DeAngelique Waithe had a game-high 10 rebounds for LIU and a team-high 21 points for a double-double
- Drew Winter improved on her NEC-leading assists with 10 dimes for the Blackbirds
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash will meet in-state rival Robert Morris in Moon Township on Saturday afternoon in a battle of 4-0 teams in the NEC. Tip time from the North Athletic Complex is set for 1 p.m.
