NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Saint Francis women's lacrosse team gets an early start to Northeast Conference play when the Red Flash begins its 12-game league slate Saturday at Merrimack.
 
Saint Francis begins its expanded conference schedule with its longest road trip of the year before playing four of its next five at DeGol Field.
 
Saint Francis (0-1, 0-0 NEC) at Merrimack (0-1, 0-0 NEC)
Location: Duane Stadium (North Andover, Mass.)
Date and Time Saturday, March 6 – Noon
Watch: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #NECWLAX

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Merrimack opened the 2021 season last week with a 20-9 loss at New Hampshire. Meghan Dzialo scored four of the Warriors' nine goals in the contest, while Ally DaCosta collected a pair of assists and Gabby Cacciola made 13 saves.
 
The Warriors went 1-6 in 2020 against an exclusively non-conference schedule before the season ended. Merrimack defeated Canisius for its first win as a Division I member. Haley Bartlett scored a team-high 12 goals in the abbreviated campaign.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Red Flash and Warriors are meeting for the first time Sunday. The contest will be Saint Francis' first game in Massachusetts in program history.
 
LAST TIME OUT: AKRON 8, SAINT FRANCIS 7
Redshirt senior Livia Baker scored three times and redshirt senior Peyton LeConte turned in a stellar defensive performance, but the Red Flash surrendered two late goals as Akron pulled off a road victory in the closing seconds Sunday at DeGol Field.
 
CAUSING TURNOVERS AND CAUSING HEADACHES FOR OPPOSING COACHES
Redshirt senior Peyton LeConte was a force to be reckoned with in Sunday's opener, collecting six ground balls and five caused turnovers against the Zips. Those numbers send LeConte into the weekend as the nation's leader in per-game average in both categories.
 
LIV LOVES LAX
Redshirt senior Livia Baker scored three goals in Sunday's opener against Akron to move her to 54 for her career. Baker enters the weekend 20 tallies shy of the top 10 in program history.
 
EMILEIGH RISING IN RECORD BOOK
Senior Emileigh Scott continues to climb in the program's record book as her 2021 season begins. Scott enters Sunday nine draw controls shy of being the first in program history to 300. Her 105 goals are seven back of fourth in Saint Francis history and she will take the field Sunday one point away from seventh all-time.
 
SAVE YOUR WORK OFTEN
Junior Elyssa Enrique matched her career high with 11 saves Sunday against Akron. Enrique turned aside 11 Radford shots in last year's season opener.
 
COYNE AIMING FOR 300 IN 2021
Head coach Tracy Coyne currently stands at 295 career victories, which is tied for ninth all-time among Division I coaches with Johns Hopkins' Janine Tucker, who aims for No. 296 this weekend at Ohio State. Coyne and Tucker look to join Northwestern's Kelly Amonte Hiller as coaches to reach 300 wins this season.
 
UP NEXT: MOUNT ST. MARY'S
Saint Francis begins a three-game homestand Wednesday when Mount St. Mary's visits DeGol Field. Opening draw is currently slated for 3 p.m. 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.