LORETTO, Pa. – A three-goal game from redshirt senior Livia Baker and a disruptive performance from redshirt senior Peyton LeConte led the offensive and defensive efforts, but Akron scored two goals in the final 90 seconds to stun the Saint Francis women's lacrosse team in Sunday's season opener at DeGol Field.
 
Baker scored on three of her five shots on goal in the contest, while LeConte racked up six ground balls and five caused turnovers to help hold the Zips to four goals over the first 48 minutes.
 
Akron 8, Saint Francis 7
Records: Saint Francis (0-1, 0-0 NEC); Akron (1-1, 0-0 MAC)
Location: DeGol Field (Loretto, Pa.)
 
COACH COYNE'S COMMENTS
"While I am disappointed that we lost, there were definitely bright spots. We played to win the entire game. We had an opportunity with 35 seconds left to tie. We had our chances but we didn't finish plays when it mattered."
 
KEY MOMENTS

• A pair of defensive stands and saves by junior Elyssa Enrique led to a free-position goal from senior Emileigh Scott at the other end, putting the Red Flash in front 6-4 with 13 minutes to play.
• Akron struck for two goals 54 seconds apart to turn a 7-6 deficit into the final 8-7 Zips lead with 35 seconds to play.

 HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Akron opened the scoring before junior Catherine Russo found Baker for the first SFU goal of the season with 26:28 to play in the first half.
• The Red Flash answered Akron tallies with free-position goals from senior Amanda Heidt and Baker. A Scott goal with 15:42 to go before halftime gave SFU its first lead at 4-3.
• The Zips responded with a goal with 10:50 on the first-half clock and the 4-4 tie would hold up until the break.
• A man-down goal from Baker with 17:40 remaining in the contest was the first score of the second half and put SFU in front 5-4.
• Enrique made a pair of key saves before Scott capitalized at the other end with a free-position goal to double the advantage to 6-4 with 13:29 to play.
• Akron's Alexis Kiefer scored a pair of goals 34 seconds apart to tie the game at six with 10:45 to go.
• Sophomore Lizzie Fisher struck with 2:34 to play to put SFU back on top at 7-6.
• Kiefer would score twice more for Akron, tying the game with 1:29 to play, and putting the Zips in front for good with 35 seconds on the clock for the game-deciding goal.

STATS

• Baker scored three goals on her five shots on goal.
• Scott recorded a multi-goal game, while Heidt and Fisher added one each.
• Freshman Danielle Hernandez tallied a pair of assists in her collegiate debut.
• Scott tallied six draw controls and McHenry added two. The Red Flash held a 10-7 advantage in the draw circle.
• Enrique turned aside 11 Akron shots.
• McHenry recorded two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Senior Katie Page added two ground balls.
• Saint Francis was 4-for-10 on free-position opportunities.
• The Red Flash was hindered by 26 turnovers, including 15 in the second half.

GAME NOTES

• Saint Francis drops to 1-1 all-time against Akron.
• Hernandez was the one SFU player to make a collegiate debut Sunday.
• The victory was Akron's first in program history. The Zips are in their second season as an NCAA program.

UP NEXT 
The Red Flash opens NEC play Saturday at noon against Merrimack. The game in North Andover, Massachusetts, can be seen on NEC Front Row.
 
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To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.