PRINCETON, N.J. – The Saint Francis Red Flash Water Polo team continues its season with four games in Princeton, New Jersey. The Red Flash will compete against ranked teams such as Bucknell and Princeton, along with Iona and Villanova University this weekend.

Location: DeNunzio Pool: (Princeton, N.J.)

Game 1: Saint Francis vs. #24 Bucknell
Date and Time: Saturday, Feb. 12 – 11:00 a.m.
How to Watch: Facebook Live
Game 2: Saint Francis vs. Iona
Date and Time: Saturday, Feb. 12 – 2:45 p.m.
How to Watch: Facebook Live
Game 3: Saint Francis vs.  #21 Princeton
Date and Time: Sunday, Feb. 13 – 11:45 a.m.
How to Watch: ESPN+, https://es.pn/3oIzsWb
Game 4: Saint Francis vs. Villanova
Date and Time: Sunday, Feb. 13 – 3:30 p.m.
How to Watch: Facebook Live

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SCOUTING THE BISON
The Red Flash play the No. 24 Bison for the first of two scheduled regular season contests this season. Bucknell comes into this weekend with a 2-1 overall record including wins against St. Francis Brooklyn and La Salle. Center, Larissa Hodzic leads the way for the Bison offense with six goals in Bucknell's two wins so far this season. In net, Bucknell is led by a freshman Annika Lampen who has started each of her first three games of her career.

This will be the first time the Red Flash have faced Bucknell since the CWPA Championships last April where the Bison defeated Saint Francis 8-5. Taylor Halbauer scored twice for the Red Flash while Abbie Carter, Addison Williams, and Emese Szucs chipped in a goal for Saint Francis.

SCOUTING THE GAELS
Iona is scheduled to clash with Saint Francis for the second time in their series history as the Gaels play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Iona comes into the weekend with a 2-3 record with all of their losses coming against ranked opponents such as Indiana, Princeton, and San Jose State. The Gaels are led on offense by Maeve Allen Rayden who leads the team in points and assists and second in goals with 11 in 2022. Jordan Van Reeken is also a serious threat for the Gaels leading the team in shots with 36 and goals with 13 to start the year. Iona is led in net by freshman Mary Jane Bailey who has made 29 saves with 61 goals allowed but has also snatched five steals for the Gaels.

In the only matchup between these teams in 2020, Iona was able to defeat Saint Francis 10-6 as Addison Williams scored twice and Julia Bradford notched a goal for the Red Flash as well two years ago.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The Red Flash go up against the Princeton Tigers who are 4-2 on the young season as this will be the second time this month that these two teams will face off in CWPA play. The Tigers are guided on offense by Jovana Sekulic as she has already made an immediate impact with her first year with the team tallying 10 goals. In net, Princeton is led by senior goalie Isabel Zaller who has started all six contests for the Tigers this season.

Saint Francis and Princeton haven't played against one another since the 2019 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the Tigers claiming victory, 12-3.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Villanova comes into New Jersey off to a tough start to the 2022 season with an 0-4 record. The Wildcats however have faced three ranked opponents out of their four contests such as Harvard twice and Princeton. The Wildcats are led in the pool on offense by a duo of Joia McKinney and Emily Morrissey who have accounted for more than half of the offensive production so far. Goalie Abigail Shelby has spent every minute of the season in net for the Wildcats snagging 29 saves with four steals and two assists.
The Red Flash have faced off against Villanova twice in their history in back to back years being 2020 and 2021. The series is tied 1-1 with each game being decided by just one goal. Last year, Emese Szucs and Julia Bradford each tallied two goals while Addison Williams recorded a game-high four steals in a 13-12 loss.


THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis Red Flash look to rebound after a tough weekend at the Brown Invite where they were close in all of their losses but just couldn't finish in the final quarters. Emese Szucs and Taylor Halbauer both head into the weekend as the leading scorers both topping over 20 goals so far in 2022. Addison Williams has been doing it all, leading the team in steals and assists while being third on the team in goals scored with 14. Isabel Lumley has proven to be a difference maker in net as she and fellow freshman Grace Raquel look to continue to provide great defense on the backend.


THE SCHEDULE
The Red Flash will have their first weekend off next week until they come back home to Loretto to face Harvard on February 26^th at 9:00am. Later that day, the team will travel to Lewisburg, PA to round out the weekend against Brown, Princeton, and Mount St. Mary's.


Follow Saint Francis Water Polo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash.

To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.