Richmond, Va. – The Saint Francis field hockey team (3-8, 1-1 A-10) fell to VCU (5-5, 3-1 A-10) on Sunday, 4-1. The loss drops the Red Flash to 1-1 in conference play.

Saint Francis came out firing on all cylinders, and Agustina Deharbe (Buenos Aires, Argentina/St. Catherine's Moorlands) scored her fourth goal of the season just a minute and seven seconds into the match. The goal was assisted by Samantha Olton (Diego Martin, Trinidad/Providence Girls Catholic), her fourth helper of the year. Eight minutes later, VCU answered with a goal of its own, tying the score at one. The quarter ended at 1-1.

VCU got the only goal of the second quarter four minutes in. In the quarter, goalkeeper Claudia Marzec (Whitinsville, Mass./Moses Brown School) stopped four of the five shots she faced. VCU led at halftime, 2-1.

In the third quarter, the Red Flash outshot the Rams 3-1, but no shots got past VCU goalkeeper Sasha Elliott, who made three of her four saves on the day in the third. Saint Francis still trailed by one heading to the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, VCU was responsible for the only scoring. With six minutes remaining, the Rams scored their third goal, then scored the final goal with four minutes left. The game ended at 4-1.

For the Red Flash, Claudia Marzec (Whitinsville, Mass./Moses Brown School) made 13 saves, her second highest total of the season. Taylor Nesmith (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led the team with three shots. Deharbe registered two.

Up next for Saint Francis is two more away conference matches – Friday, October 11 at La Salle and Sunday, October 13 at #10 Saint Joseph's.