FLASH POINTS

• Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) hit a Saint Francis and Conference record 11 threes in the victory, scoring 39 points in total
• Saint Francis dished out 22 assists in the win led by Ace Harrison (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor (Maryland))'s seven
• The Red Flash hit 18 threes, the second most in school history and a season high
• SFU advances on to the NEC semi-finals for a record 18^th time

 
LORETTO, PA- Jessica Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) set a Saint Francis and NEC record with 11 threes and scored 39 points as Saint Francis advanced to the Northeast Conference quarterfinal with a 89-70 win over Fairleigh Dickinson in Wednesday night's quarterfinal at DeGol Arena.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Kovatch hit her first six threes of the night, all in the first quarter as the Red Flash rolled off a 31-2 run between the first and second quarters to put the game away.

RECORDS FALL
Kovatch's 11 threes breaks her own school record and the conference record for threes in a game. She also set the record for threes in a NEC tournament game, which was eight before tonight. The threes also gave Kovatch the NEC single-season three-point record, held by RMU's Sade Logan at 126. After tonight, Kovatch has 132 and counting. The 132 breaks the previous NCAA high of 129 set by Brianna Butler of Syracuse in 2016. However, there are still several players within striking distance of Kovatch's 132 this season. The 18 made threes as a team set the NEC tourney record that was 16, held by Sacred Heart in 2017. 
 
HAIGH'S RECATION
"I am happy that we have another game and that we won this one," Saint Francis head coach Joe Haigh said. "I was please as to how well we played, as a coach in a playoff game, you stress out with the number of things that can go wrong and what can happen. When Jess has a great shooting night, it makes everything else that much easier."
 
FIRST QUARTER RECAP

• Kovatch hit her first six threes of the game, finishing the quarter with 21 points
• With Kovatch getting hot, so were the Knights as they kept pace with SFU after a three from Kamrin Weimer and a steal and score from Madelynn Comly gave FDU a 14-12 lead
• A Courtney Zezza (Plum, Pa./Plum) three sparked the Red Flash run over the final 3:30 of the opening quarter
• SFU closed the quarter on a 14-2 run thanks to three more triples from Kovatch and started by the Zezza three
• SFU led 26-16 after one quarter

 
SECOND QUARTER RECAP

• SFU started the quarter on a 16-0 run, started by a four-point play from Kovatch
• Another Kovatch three was sandwiched around a pair of Kroll lay-ups
• FDU was able to break the run on a Markovic lay-up
• SFU would build the lead to near 30 on a Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) three and a Harrison lay-in
• A pair of Weimer threes ended the first-half scoring
• SFU led 47-24 at the half

 
THIRD QUARTER RECAP

• The teams traded baskets in the early goings of the quarter, a Kroll three put SFU back up 26
• Kovatch hit her 11^th three of the night midway through the quarter, breaking her own school record and setting a new NEC record
• The three allowed the Red Flash lead to hit a high-water mark of 28 in the second half
• Jenna Clark hit a pair of threes late to spark FDU into the fourth quarter
• SFU would lead 75-50 heading into the fourth quarter

 
FOURTH QUARTER RECAP

• A Leah Morrow (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Africentric) lay-in and another Wynn three paced the Red Flash offense against a pressing FDU squad
• A 7-1 run by the Knights was fueled by a pair of Comly jumpers as FDU got the game inside of 20 points for the first time in the second half
• A three-point play from Amina Markovic led to a Comly three as the Knights cut the lead to 15
• Another Morrow jumper and a pair of Haley Thomas (Hooversville, PA/Bishop McCort) free throws capped the scoring as the Red Flash punched their ticket to their 18^th semi final

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Red Flash put three in double figures led by Kovatch's 39, Kroll's 13 and Wynn's 10
• SFU also won the rebounding battle 43-35, led by Harrison's nine rebounds but five players grabbed at least five rebounds
• Four Knights reached double figures led by Comly's 16, Lauren Francillon had a double double with 12 points and a game high 11 rebounds
• SFU turned 18 FDU turnovers into 25 points, FDU did force 19 SFU turnovers but scored just 15 off the miscues

 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash advance to Thursday's semi-final against the winner of Sacred Heart and Bryant. Tip time is set for 7 p.m.