Loretto, Pa.- The Saint Francis water polo travels in the footsteps of Oliver Hazard Perry and heads to the banks of Lake Erie for the Laker Invite held at Mercyhurst University. The Red Flash will be facing familiar foes in La Salle, VMI, and Salem with the exception of McKendree. 

Scouting La Salle

The Red Flash have already faced the Explorers twice in the young season. SFU was victorious in both contests: 13-8 and 9-7. La Salle earned its first victory of the 2019 season when the Explorers conquered Salem 11-9 at the Bison Invite. Ani Aghakhanian (La Crescenta, Calif/La Valley College) has scored seven goals against La Salle. The game is scheduled for 3:15 pm on Saturday. 

Scouting Virginia Military Institute

VMI opens the season at the Laker Invite. The Keydets defeated the Red Flash last year 15-12. The Keydets graduated their scoring leader in Shelby Barkley who scored 107 goals in 2018. However, the Keydets are not without weapons, the arsenal is still full with rifle arms. Sarah Dolitsky put 70 shots in the net. Emma Perez placed 19 goals in the goal. Isabel French returns as the goalie. She saved 306 shots. Head coach Ryan Pryor enters his fifth season as general of the Keydets. The contest is slated for Saturday at 8:15 pm. 

Scouting McKendree

McKendree also begins the season at the Laker Invite. This is the first ever meeting between the Red Flash and the Bearcats. Head coach Colleen Lischwe coaches both the men's and women's squads. Lischwe is the only female head coach of a men's NCAA water polo program. The Bearcats have gone 9-16 in their first two seasons of competition. The match begins at 1:00 pm on Sunday.

Scouting Salem

The Tigers enter the weekend with a 0-4 record and the nascent program is seeking its first ever victory. Saint Francis defeated Salem 12-10 at the Bison Invite. The Tigers narrowly fell 11-9 to La Salle and the West Virginia school gave credible battles to CWPA foes Harvard and Bucknell. Metzli Enriquez (Atwater, CA/El Capitan) led the Red Flash with four goals against the Tigers. The game is at 6:00 pm on Sunday.

How to Watch

All the games will be streamed by Mercyhurst. Click here for the link.