LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis women's basketball team (11-6, 9-2 NEC) fell to Sacred Heart (8-5, 8-3 NEC) by a six-point margin in overtime on Tuesday in the teams' first meeting of the season.

On an evening that recognized the three Red Flash seniors, Saint Francis used a 19-0 run in the second quarter after being down nine to take a 10-point lead. The Red Flash held the lead for the next two quarters, but the Pioneers tied it midway through the fourth, eventually sending it to overtime and taking home the win.

Saint Francis 70, Sacred Heart 76
Records: Saint Francis (11-6, 9-2 NEC), Sacred Heart (8-5, 8-3 NEC)
Location: DeGol Arena (Loretto, Pa.)

KEY MOMENTS
In the second quarter, with the Pioneers up nine, Saint Francis used a 19-0 run to take a 10-point lead with four minutes left in the half, eventually heading into the locker room with a 37-34 lead.

In the fourth quarter, back-to-back three-pointers from Lili Benzel gave the Red Flash a seven-point lead after Sacred Heart cut it to one. Sacred Heart battled back to tie, and the teams sat deadlocked at 65 with 1:30 to play. Still tied with under 30 seconds to go and Sacred Heart possession, Jenna Mastellone took a charge with 1.6 on the clock to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, the Red Flash found itself down four with 45 seconds to go, but could not capitalize late, falling to Sacred Heart, 76-70.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Pioneers opened the scoring with two free throws, but Kaitlyn Maxwell answered and got the Red Flash on the board with a turnaround jumper. Fittingly, senior Jenna Mastellone scored the second basket for Saint Francis on a wing three to give SFU its first lead of the game. After a charge taken by Karson Swogger, Sacred Heart got their own defensive stop to begin a quick 6-0 run before a basket by Swogger ended it. Out of the first media timeout with Sacred Heart leading 11-7, the Pioneers used a 7-2 run to extend the lead to nine, but the Red Flash cut it to six, with the score 18-12 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started slow, with just one field goal coming in the first two minutes, a three pointer from Sacred Heart. A short jumper from Swogger gave the Red Flash its first basket of the quarter, cutting the Pioneers lead to six, followed by two Benzel triples to tie it at 21. In the midst of a huge 19-0 run, an and-one layup from Swogger gave the Red Flash its first lead since 5-3 at 24-21 with 5:35 to play in the half. A steal and score from Haley Thomas followed by a Swogger three put the Red Flash up 10. Sacred Heart cut into the lead with a halftime buzzer beater, but the Red Flash took a 37-34 advantage into the locker room.

Katie Dettwiller opened second-half scoring with a post layup. Benzel's third three of the day and Swogger's second triple gave the Red Flash a nine-point lead with 7:34 to play in the third quarter. The Pioneers chipped away, cutting it to five at the media timeout, and eventually three, but Benzel's fourth three put the Red Flash back up seven. Through the final four minutes of the quarter, the teams traded baskets with Saint Francis taking a 53-49 lead into the fourth.

To start the fourth, the Pioneers hit a three to cut it to one, but Benzel continued to stay hot, hitting her fifth and sixth three-pointers of the day back-to-back to stretch the lead back to seven. Over the next three minutes, Sacred Heart used a 7-2 to bring the game back to two, and with 2:00 left in the game, the Pioneers had their first tie since the second quarter. Sacred Heart had possession with under 30 seconds to play. With under two seconds, Mastellone drew a charge at the rim, giving the Red Flash ball last, but ultimately sending the game to overtime.

In the overtime period, the Pioneers opened the scoring with a layup, but Dettwiller answered with one of her own. After an and-one layup and a second basket, the Pioneers stretched their lead to five, but a Swogger three-pointer cut the lead back to two. Sacred Heart regained the four-point lead with 45 seconds to go, eventually winning, 76-70.

STATS
The Pioneers had the narrow edge in field-goal percentage, 40.8 percent to the Red Flash's 38.0 percent. Saint Francis shot 50 percent from behind the arc. Sacred Heart shot 57.1 percent during overtime.

GAME NOTES

• All three seniors scored in the first quarter.
• Thomas registered double-digit rebounds for the first time this season, totaling 13 rebounds, just one shy of her career-high.
• Benzel extended her three-pointer streak to 24 games with a career-high six three-pointers, scoring a career-high 19 points in conference play.
• Swogger reached the 20-point plateau for the fourth time this season, leading the team wh 22 points and scoring in double figures for the 12^th-straight game.
• The Red Flash totaled a season-high 50 rebounds and 10 three-pointers.
• Dettwiller registered her third three-block game of the season and the seventh of her career.

UP NEXT
The Red Flash and Pioneers wrap up the series on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on NEC Front Row.
 
Follow Saint Francis Women's Basketball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash program.
 
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.