FLASH POINTS

• Saint Francis started the third quarter on an 8-0 run to put the game away
• The Red Flash again put four players in double figures
• Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) recorded a double-double and Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) narrowly missed one in the victory
• SFU closed the NEC road slate at 8-1

 
EMMITSBURG, MD- Saint Francis opened the second half on an 8-0 run and held off a Mount Saint Mary's fourth quarter charge in a 79-69 win on Friday night inside Knott Arena.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Saint Francis' incredible balance continued as Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) led four players in double figures with 22. The junior hit four triples putting her just three away from the overall career mark in the Northeast Conference.
 
FIRST QUARTER RECAP

• The Red Flash started quickly, scoring four of the game's first five points
• Mount would score the next four to take their only lead of the first half at 5-4
• SFU responded with six straight, a three-point play from Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) and a Harrison three
• Saint Francis pushed the lead to five when Kovatch found Zezza on a back-door cut for a lay-in
• Harrison drained her second three of the quarter to push the lead to six
• Saint Francis got the lead to eight thanks to a buzzer-beater from just inside the arc from Zezza banked in as the Red Flash led 22-14 after 10 minutes

 
SECOND QUARTER RECAP

• Mount got their transition game going early in the second, getting a trio of layups to cut the lead to four
• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) banked in a three then had a steal-and-score on the next play to force a Mount timeout to extend the lead to nine at 29-20
• The Mountaineers again cut the lead to four before Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) took over, scoring seven of the next nine points herself to give SFU a 36-28 lead
• The teams would trade baskets over the final two minutes of the quarter
• Kroll scored nine of her 12 first-half points in the second to help send SFU into the locker room up 43-35

 
THIRD QUARTER RECAP

• Kovatch started the third on fire, scoring the quarter's first eight points and forcing a Mount timeout just 90 seconds into the frame
• The junior kept pouring it on with her third triple of the quarter to push the lead to its largest at 18
• Caitlyn Kroll (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) found Harrison on an alley-oop to stop a Mount run, then added a three of her own to push the lead back to 18
• Another Kovatch jumper stopped a short Mount run and gave her 13 in the quarter
• SFU led 63-47 after three

 
FOURTH QUARTER RECAP

• Mount would hit some shots early but could get no closer than 14
• Kroll would score five-straight points on consecutive possessions as the Red Flash consistently kept the lead around 15
• The Mountaineers would score eight of the next 11 points but could not get within 10 points
• A Zezza three proved pivotal, stopping the Mountaineer run
• The Mount would keep possessions alive late and cut the lead into single digits with just over a minute remaining
• MSM would get a steal on the ensuing possession but managed just to split free throws
• A Kovatch drive to the bucket put SFU back up nine with 17 seconds left
• A Harrison steal closed out the game as SFU finished the NEC road slate at 8-1

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Red Flash put four players in double figures, led by Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg)'s 22
• Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)) posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Kroll narrowly missed a double-double with 19 and 9
• Mount had all five starters in double figures led by Juliette Lawless who had 18
• MSM won the rebounding battle 43-41, but SFU with 15 offensive rebounds, had a 15-13 edge on second-chance points
• Saint Francis recorded 10 steals, led by Kovatch's 4, SFU forced 17 turnovers leading to 21 points

 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash will wrap up the regular season with the Wagner Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. SFU will honor seniors Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland)), Cydney Smith (Port Tobacco, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) and Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) in a pre-game ceremony. Tip-time on Sunday is set for 2 p.m.