BOX SCORE » Autumn McHenry (Branford, Conn.) posted three of her four goals during an 8-0 run in the second half to power Saint Francis University past the University of Akron 10-6 in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Sunday.
» Lizzie Fisher (Hagerstown, Md.) added three goals and an assist, while Catherine Russo (Wantagh, N.Y.) had a tally and three helpers. Amanda Heidt (Erie, Pa.) also had four points thanks to posting two markers and two assists.
» Elyssa Enrique (North Canton, Ohio) made a season-high 16 saves, while C.C. Courter (Verona, N.J.) and Chyler Espino (San Francisco, Calif.) paced the defense with four ground balls and two caused turnovers each.
» With the first win of the year, head coach Tracy Coyne reached a milestone with her 300th career win as a head coach.
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
Trailing 4-2 going into the break, the Red Flash scored eight unanswered goals to start the second half to take control of the game. McHenry had three goals In the spurt. The senior scored unassisted 32 seconds into the third quarter and gave Saint Francis the lead for good on a free-position goal at 10:17, while adding her third goal of the third period with 20 seconds left in the quarter.
FLASH QUOTES
"This was a great team victory. We came out on fire in the second half. The defense did an amazing job limiting Akron's scoring opportunities. CC played stellar match-up defense and Elyssa made some point blank saves that were keys to the victory. Shutting Akron out in the third quarter was a definite highlight. The attack come to life scoring eight unanswered goals. Finally having assisted goals was nice to see. All around there are aspects to the win we can build on." - Coyne on the game
FLASH MOMENTS
Heidt helped the Loretto team jump out to a 2-0 lead with an assisted tally at 13:31 and then she found her co-captain McHenry for the second goal of the afternoon at 7:01 in the first quarter.
The Zips posted the next four goals to take a 4-2 lead before eight flash strikes in the second half. Along with McHenry's three markers, Fisher posted three goals after scoring off a feed from Russo at 11:10 in the third quarter to tie the match at 4 and then that connection struck again at the exact same time in the fourth before Heidt assisted Fisher with a man-down at 7:32 in the fourth quarter. Heidt was returning the favor to Fisher after the junior connected with Heidt for a score at 2:50 in the third quarter.
Russo, who had three helpers during the run, also found the twine unassisted 15 seconds into the final frame.
FLASH NUGGETS
McHenry tied her career high with four goals in a game after finding the twine four times against Kent State on March 10, 2020. It is the third time in her career that she has posted three goals or more and the 13th time she has recorded a multi-goal performance, including all three matches this season. The senior added four draw controls, a ground ball and a caused turnover.
Fisher, who had her second career two-goal performance in the season opener at Youngstown State on February 18, notched her first career hat trick. The junior had four goals and an assist in her first two seasons has registered five markers and an assist for six points in 2022.
Heidt registered her first two-goal game of the season and her 16th multi-goal performance of her career. The graduate student, who had three career assists coming into the match, registered her first career two assist game of her career. She added a career-high five draw controls and four ground balls on the afternoon.
Russo recorded her second career four-point performance after posting a goal and three assists for four points against Merrimack on March 27, 2021.Russo also had three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Enrique, who was playing 17 miles from her hometown of North Canton, turned away 16 shots for the third time in her career, but the first time in a win. She also allowed a career-low six goals to an opponent for the second time in her career in 60 minutes of work after accomplishing the feat in a 17-6 win against Central Connecticut State on March 20, 2021.
Espino notched the best game in her young career with a career-best four ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls. She had two ground balls in her first two collegiate matches.
Courter registered two caused turnovers in a match for the second time this season and the 10th time in her career. It is the fourth time in her career that she has posted at least four ground balls.
Coyne, who is in her third season in Loretto, has also coached at NCAA Division I schools Notre Dame and George Washington, along with NCAA Division III programs Denison, Roanoke and Washington & Jefferson, is 300-207 as a head coach in 33 seasons. She is 182-169 as a head coach at the NCAA Division I level.
UP NEXT
Saint Francis returns to Loretto and DeGol Field on Friday against Central Michigan. Game time is 2 p.m.
