RMU QUOTES | SFU QUOTES

FLASH POINTS

• The Red Flash captured their 12^th Northeast Conference Tournament title
• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) set a tournament record with 103 total points, including 29 tonight and was named tournament MVP
• Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) recorded a double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and earned all-tournament honors

 
 
LORETTO, PA- For a record 12th time, the Saint Francis Red Flash are Northeast Conference Tournament Champions after a 66-56 triumph over Robert Morris on Sunday afternoon inside DeGol Arena and seen on ESPN U.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Red Flash used an 8-0 run in the third quarter to erase the a one-point RMU lead. The Colonials were not able to get within four points the rest of the game.
 
Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) scored 29 points and broke a tournament record with 103 points across the tourney en route to Tournament MVP honors. Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three assists and three steals and was named to the all-tournament team.
 
HAIGH REACTION
"First off congratulations to Robert Morris and the season that they had," Head Coach Joe Haigh said. They are a really tough opponent and I thought they played great today. They played really hard so congratulations to them. As for us, I am really excited for our players. The long six-­-month journey seems longer for this group because it has really been a two-­-year journey. I am excited for our players to win a championship this year. It was awesome to be able to do this on our home court."
 
FIRST QUARTER RECAP

• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) hit two threes early as Saint Francis score the game's first 10 points
• A three from Harrison and a lay-in from Zezza built the lead to 15-4 and forced a Robert Morris timeout
• The Colonials' defense toughened up and did not allow SFU to score over the final 3:21 of the quarter
• RMU closed the quarter on an 8-0 run to bring the Colonials within three
• All 12 of RMU's points came in the paint as the Colonials pounded the ball inside
• SFU led 15-12 after the opening 10 minutes

 
SECOND QUARTER RECAP

• Robert Morris was able to tie the game up at 17 on a Megan Callahan lay-up
• Haley Thomas (Hooversville, PA/Bishop McCort) hit a clutch three to end the RMU run and put SFU back up three
• The Colonials slowed the game down with SFU being held to just five points in the first six minutes of the quarter
• A lay-in by Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) gave SFU back the lead at 26-24 only to see RMU tie it on a Nneka Ezeigbo jumper with 10 seconds left
• The Red Flash were just 4-12 in the quarter as RMU outscored the Red Flash 14-11 in the quarter
• The game would be tied at 26 heading into the half

 
 
THIRD QUARTER RECAP

• RMU took their first lead of the game on a Mikalah Mulrain lay-in
• Back-to-back threes from Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) proved pivotal and gave SFU back the lead at 32-28
• Robert Morris responded with five-straight from Megan Smith including a three as Robert Morris re-took the lead at 36-35
• The Colonials took their biggest lead of three after a Jocelynne Jones lay-in, she led Robert Morris with 21 points
• Four-straight from Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) sparked an 8-0 run with the majority of the damage being done at the free throw line
• The Red Flash lead would grow to 47-40 before Jones scored four-straight points before a Kovatch lay-in closed the third quarter
• SFU would lead 49-44 heading into the fourth

 
FOURTH QUARTER RECAP

• The Red Flash started the quarter on a 5-0 run capped by a Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) three
• Saint Francis would keep the lead at ten through the fourth quarter media timeout
• A three from Megan Callahan and a Megan Smith jumper got the Colonials within five at 56-51 with four minutes remaining
• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) stole a pass in the backcourt and made it a seven-point game off a lay-in
• The Red Flash defense got a Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) steal on the next possession, springing Kovatch for an and-one lay-in to put SFU back up 10 at 61-51 with 1:30 remaining
• SFU would salt the game away at the line, building the lead up to 13 before a final Jones' three capped the scoring.
• Saint Francis forced 10 fourth quarter turnovers, turning them into 14 of their 17 points
• Saint Francis outscored RMU 40-30 in the second half to secure their 12^th NEC title and first since the 2010-11 season.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Red Flash turned 18 RMU turnovers into 23 points while RMU forced 23 SFU turnovers, it resulted in just eight points
• Robert Morris narrowly won the rebounding battle, 38-37, but had a 13-4 edge on the offensive boards, leading to a 8-0 edge in second-chance points
• Jocelynne Jones led three Colonials in double figures with 21, as Mikalah Mulrain (10) and Megan Smith (10) joined her
• Haley Thomas (Hooversville, PA/Bishop McCort) had all seven SFU points off the bench and added three rebounds, an assist, steal and block
• SFU had 12 steals as Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum), Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) and Jess Kovatch each had three
• Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) and Kroll led the SFU rebounding charge with 10 each

 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash await their NCAA fate which be released tomorrow as part of the tournament selection show on ESPN starting at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to join the watch party inside DeGol Arena starting at 6:30.