Saint Francis begins 2021 season at home against Akron
Miles McQuiggan
LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis women's lacrosse team opens its 2021 season Sunday when the Red Flash hosts Akron in an afternoon contest at DeGol Field.
Saint Francis will take the field against an opponent for the first time March 10, 2020, when the Red Flash defeated Kent State, 18-13.
Attendance at Sunday's game is limited to teams and essential gameday staff. For an update on Saint Francis' spectator policy beginning March 1, click
HERE.
Akron (0-1, 0-0 MAC) at Saint Francis (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Location: DeGol Field (Loretto, Pa.)
Date and Time Sunday, Feb. 28 – 2 p.m.
Watch: NEC Front Row (Jake Slebodnick)
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Social Media: Facebook |
Twitter |
Instagram | #NECWLAX
SCOUTING THE ZIPS
Akron opened the 2021 season Friday with a 16-8 defeat at the hands of Gardner-Webb. The Runnin' Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-1 lead and held an 11-2 halftime advantage. Six different Zips scored in the contest with two goals each from Chloe Hererra and Kaylee Riggins. Alexis Kiefer's seven draw controls helped Akron to an even 13-13 mark in the draw circle.
The Zips went 0-7 in their first NCAA season in 2020. Anna Dennison, a graduate of the same high school as Red Flash midfielder
Livia Baker, led Akron in scoring with eight goals.
SERIES HISTORY
The Red Flash and Zips met for the first time last year in Akron with Saint Francis grabbing a 12-6 victory.
Amanda Heidt scored four goals to help the Red Flash open an 8-1 lead and SFU led by at least five the rest of the way.
Peyton LeConte collected five draw controls and four caused turnovers.
LAST TIME OUT: SAINT FRANCIS 18, KENT STATE 13 – MARCH 10, 2020
Emileigh Scott scored seven goals and
Autumn McHenry added four as the Red Flash won back-to-back games before the 2020 season came to an end. Scott corralled 10 draw controls in the victory.
ELLICOTT CITY'S DYNAMIC DUO
Redshirt senior
Peyton LeConte and senior
Emileigh Scott, who both hail from the same community outside Baltimore, ranked in the top 20 nationally in a combined four statistical categories a year ago.
LeConte ranked ninth in the nation in caused turnovers per game (2.29) and 16
th in ground balls (3.29), while Scott was sixth in draw controls (8.29) and 16
th in total goals (27).
LIV LOVES LAX
Redshirt senior
Livia Baker returns for a fifth year after ranking second on the team in goals (12) and ground balls (14) in 2020, while collecting eight caused turnovers, good for third on the Red Flash.
THE AUTUMN WIN
Junior
Autumn McHenry tallied a team-high eight assists in 2020 and was second on the team with 17 draw controls. The Connecticut native added 10 goals over seven games and was second among the Red Flash in points (18).
PAGING KATIE PAGE
Senior
Katie Page started all seven games a year ago, placing second among Saint Francis players with eight caused turnovers. Page's 12 ground balls were tied for third on the squad with
C.C. Courter and
Emileigh Scott.
COYNE AIMING FOR 300 IN 2021
Head coach
Tracy Coyne begins the 2021 season with 295 career victories, which is tied for ninth all-time among Division I coaches with Johns Hopkins' Janine Tucker, who will also aim for No. 296 on Sunday. Coyne and Tucker look to join Northwestern's Kelly Amonte Hiller as coaches to reach 300 wins this season.
UP NEXT: MERRIMACK
Saint Francis opens NEC play Saturday, March 6, with the first matchup with Merrimack in program history. The Red Flash and Warriors will meet at noon on NEC Front Row.
Follow Saint Francis Women's Lacrosse on
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash's 23 Division I programs.
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit
francis.edu.
