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Saint Francis University Athletics

Kovatch three
54
Saint Francis (PA) SFU 16-17
65
Winner Robert Morris RMU 22-10
Saint Francis (PA) SFU
16-17
54
Final
65
Robert Morris RMU
22-10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Saint Francis (PA) SFU 12 14 12 16 54
Robert Morris RMU 20 12 17 16 65

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | David Halstead

Red Flash fall in NEC Championship game at Robert Morris, 65-54

Moon Township, Pa. – Saint Francis women's basketball (16-17, 11-7 NEC) had its NEC tournament run come to a close in a 65-54 Championship game defeat to top-seeded Robert Morris (22-10, 16-2) on Sunday at the North Athletic Complex. Senior captains Jess Kovatch (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) (18 points) and Courtney Zezza (Plum, PA/Plum) (12 points) led the Red Flash in scoring in the final game of their storied four-year careers.
 
Robinson Fruchtl's Recation
"I give Charlie (Buscaglia) and Robert Morris credit," Interim Head Coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl said. "They played a tough physical game as they normally do and they played great half court defensive and were very disciplined. Having twenty turnovers really hurt us. They might not have gotten layups right out of it, but it gave them more possessions. Hats off to Robert Morris for winning the championship. I know they will represent our conference really well going into the NCAA tournament."
 
First Quarter Recap
  • Saint Francis got off to a red-hot start, taking a 7-3 lead following a Zezza three-pointer with 8:05 to play in the opening period
  • Kovatch connected on a three-pointer and a jumper to put SFU ahead 12-9 with 2:53 to play
  • Robert Morris closed the period on an 11-0 run, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer to hold a 20-12 advantage at the end of the first stanza
Second Quarter Recap
  • A Zezza trifecta sparked a 6-2 SFU run that was capped off with 3-of-3 Kovatch free throws to pull the Red Flash within four at 22-18 with 7:04 remaining in the second period
  • The Colonials responded to extend its lead to 29-22 with 2:53 left
  • Another RMU three-pointer at the buzzer gave the hosts a 32-26 halftime lead
Third Quarter Recap
  • Sam Sabino (Rumson, N.J./Rumson Fair Haven (New Hampshire)) drilled a trey and Zezza knocked down a jumper to trim the margin to one at 32-31 with 8:16 to play in the third period
  • Robert Morris answered with an 11-2 spurt to grab a 43-33 lead with 3:49 remaining
  • Karson Swogger (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) connected on a floater in the lane with four seconds to go as SFU trailed 49-38 at the end of the third frame
Fourth Quarter Recap
  • RMU took a 53-42 lead with 7:27 remaining in the contest
  • Saint Francis fought back with a 9-0 surge to cut the margin to two at 53-51 following a Swogger jumper with 4:21 to play
  • Following a timeout, Robert Morris responded with eight straight points to regain command with a 61-51 advantage with 38 seconds to go
  • Kovatch connected on a jumper with 11 ticks on the clock for the Red Flash's final points
Notes
  • Saint Francis fell to Robert Morris for the third time this season
  • The Red Flash struggled shooting against a defensively sound Colonials team, going 19-of-57 (33.3%) from the floor, including an uncharacteristic 4-of-19 (21.1%) from three-point range
  • RMU held a slight edge on the boards with a 42-40 rebounding advantage
  • Robert Morris scored 25 points off 20 Saint Francis turnovers, while the Red Flash scored only eight points off 15 Colonials giveaways
  • Haley Thomas (Hooversville, PA/Bishop McCort) recorded four of SFU's eight assists in addition to netting six points and seven rebounds
  • Kovatch tallied three of the Red Flash's nine steals and pulled in six boards
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