Sunday, September 11 | Georgetown | Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Arena | 12 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | DIGITAL PROGRAM

OPENING STICK
Sunday's match between Saint Francis and Georgetown marks the 12th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2004 season. The Hoyas lead the all-time series 7-4, but the Red Flash has taken the last two meetings and four of the last six matchups. Saint Francis is 3-1 at DeGol Field against Georgetown, while the last three Red Flash wins have come in overtime or a shootout.
 
THE WORD ON GEORGETOWN
The Hoyas come into the contest 2-3 after falling to Lock Haven on Friday. Emma van der Veen leads the team with three goals and three assists for nine points. Vivienne Trumbour is second on the team with two tallies and three assists for seven points, while Lindsay Devine and Sophie Towne both have found the cage three times apiece for six points. Ciara Weets has 29 saves, a 3.20 goals against average and a .707 save percentage this season.
 
LAST TIME WE MET 
Dolores Zavaleta registered the decisive goal in penalty shootout to give Saint Francis University the 2-1 win in a shootout to secure a 4-3 win against Georgetown on October 17, 2021. She also assisted the final two goals in regulation to force overtime. Claudia Ortiz notched two goals while Riley Kromer also found the twine for the first time in her career on the afternoon.

LAST TIME OUT
Francesca Primomo scored in overtime to propel Saint Francis past Holy Cross 1-0 on Sunday. Eva Valentini dished out the decisive goal for the Red Flash. Chloe South played the final 32:10 minutes of the match with two saves to earn the victory.
 
NEXT TIME OUT
Sunday's home opener will be a short stay in Loretto as the team embarks on another four-game road trip, starting with games at Drexel (September 16) and Villanova (September 18) next weekend. The Red Flash will return to DeGol Field on September 30 to open Northeast Conference play against Rider. 

 Eva Valentini was named the Northeast Conference Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week for the week of August 29-September 5. It is the second time in her career she has earned the league's top weekly honor. Valentini and Francesca Primomo were also named Prime Performers for the Week. Valentini posted a goal and two assists for four points in the week and her points all came at the right time for the Red Flash. She registered a goal and an assist in the final 1:50 of regulation against Brown to help force overtime on September 2. She assisted Chloe Butz to start the run and cut the margin to 3-2 in the final two minutes and then tied the game with her second goal of the season with 22 seconds left in regulation. The 2021 All-NEC second-team performer then dished out an assist on the game-winner against Holy Cross on September 4 in overtime to Primomo. 
 
RETURNING ALL-NEC PLAYERS
Saint Francis begins its second year back in the Northeast Conference and also returning are All-NEC second-team performers Claudia Ortiz and Eva Valentini. Valentini led the team with eight goals and six assists for 22 points while Ortiz ranked second with six tallies and four assists for 16 points.
 
NEW TO THE LO'
Freshmen Chloe Butz and Madison Waldspurger both joined the team for the 2022 season. Both players made their collegiate debuts in the starting lineup at Ball State on August 26. Butz notched her first career goal against Brown on September 2Assistant coach Danielle Baumgardner also joined the staff and started in the spring of 2021.
 
ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach Maria Bettiana Cerretta begins her sixth season as the field hockey head coach at Saint Francis. Earlier this year, she became an American citizen.