Friday, October 20 | at Merrimack | North Andover, Mass. | Duane Stadium | 4:00 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
Sunday, October 22 | at Stonehill | Easton, Mass. | W.B. Mason Stadium | 12:00 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
 
OPENING STICK VS. MERRIMACK
Friday's match between Saint Francis and Merrimack marks the third meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2021 season. The series is tied at a game apiece after each team has won on its home field in the matchup by the identical score of 3-2.
 
THE WORD ON MERRIMACK
Merrimack comes into the contest 0-14 overall and 0-4 in Northeast Conference play after falling to New Hampshire on Sunday. Julie Wester leads the team with four goals for eight points. Chloe Agopian is second on the team with two tallies and an assist for five points while Katelyn Bennett has two tallies for four points on the year. Brooke Bolduc has 118 saves, a 5.18 goals against average and a .641 save percentage.

LAST TIME WE MET MERRIMACK
Eugenia Kenny scored in the 48th minute off an assist from Ella Maillie to hand Saint Francis a 3-2 win against Merrimack on October 21, 2022. Kenny also added an assist on the Red Flash's first goal of the afternoon off the stick of Claudia Ortiz, while Carysse Norris also hit the cage in the win. Amber Bryan made one save in the first half. 

OPENING STICK VS. STONEHILL
Sunday's match against Stonehill marks the second meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2022 season. The Red Flash won the inaugural meeting 1-0 last season in Loretto.
 
THE WORD ON STONEHILL
Stonehill, who travels to Sacred Heart on Friday, comes into the weekend 4-10 overall and 2-2 in Northeast Conference play after defeating Colgate 3-2 on Sunday. Raegan Hickey leads the team with eight goals and two assists for 18 points. Claudia Crowe is second on the team with two goals and seven assists for 11 points, while Tyra Stark is third on the team with three markers and two assists for eight points. Shannon Conte has 102 saves, a 3.14 goals against average and a .699 save percentage in the cage.

LAST TIME WE MET STONEHILL
Eva Valentini scored the only goal of the afternoon on a penalty stroke in the 38th minute to lift Saint Francis past Stonehill 1-0 on Octover 23, 2022. Amber Bryan made one save in the first half for the Red Flash.
   
NEXT TIME OUT
After the two games in New England, Saint Francis returns home to host Sacred Heart for senior day at 4 p.m. on October 27. Prior to the game, seniors Julia Breneman, Ella Maillie, Madison Stotler, Hannah Rohrer, Francesca Primomo, Claudia Ortiz, Olivia Muffitt and Sam Murphy.

LAST TIME OUT
Eighty-three seconds from being shutout for the second-straight game, junior Eva Valentini  added another top moment in her legendary career. The junior tied the game with 83 seconds left in regulation and then scored the game-winning goal in the 77th minute to lift Saint Francis past LIU 2-1 in double overtime on Friday. Amber Bryan turned away eight shots including three stops in the first overtime to help set up Valentini's heroics.

NEC STARTS
Saint Francis is 3-1 in league play for the third time in program history, joining the 2007 and 2011 teams. With a win, the Red Flash would be off to its second-best conference start in program history at 4-1 with only the 5-0 start in 2012 being the standard. With a loss on Friday, the team would be 3-2 for the fourth time in team history (2007, 2011, 2022). Either way and the team would be off to its second-best NEC start in team history.

If you account the team's time in the Atlantic-10, a win on Friday and the team would be 4-1 for the second time in program history after the 2014 team opened conference play 4-1. That team went on to loss its sixth game to fall to 4-2, while the 2015 was 3-2 in the A-10 after five games and 3-3 after six games.

With two wins in New England, the Loretto program would match the 2012 team for the best six-game NEC start in team history at 5-1. With one loss this weekend, the team would maintain the second-best start in team history at 4-2, while two losses and the team would be 3-3 for the fourth time in NEC history (2007, 2010, 2011).

In addition, with two wins the team would secure its second-straight NEC Tournament berth in program history after making the league postseason last year for the first time since 2012 last season. With two wins and a Rider loss, the Red Flash will secure the No. 2 seed in the NEC Tournament. 

WHERE WE STAND WITH OUR RECORD
Saint Francis is 8-6 for the third time in program history (2015, 2016, 2023) for the third-best start in program history behind a 12-2 record in 2014 and the 2012 team opened the year with a 10-4 start. A win and the team would stay on its third-best start at 9-6 for the second time in team history, while a loss would set the team to its fourth best start for the second time at 8-7 (2016).

Two wins and the team would still be off to the third-best start at 10-6 and would reach 10 wins in a season for the fourth time in team history, while a split and the team would be 9-7 for the second time in program history (2016). Two losses and the team would be 8-8 for the second time in program history (2013) and the fifth-best start.

A win would also clinch the team's sixth non-losing season in program history and with two wins the fifth winning season in program history.

IN THE NEC
Marie Sattler leads the NEC in assists (7) and assists per game (0.54), ninth in points (11) and ninth in points (0.85). Amber Bryan is second in goals against average (1.18), third in save percentage (.759), seventh in saves (41), eighth in saves per game (3.15) and fourth in shutouts per game (.167). Eva Valentini is second in the league in shots per game (3.39), second in goals (7), goals per game (0.50), second in points (16),  second in defensive saves (0.29), fourth in goals per game (.385), seventh in points (0.92). Madison Waldspurger ranks sixth in the NEC in assists (3) and ninth in assists per game (0.21), while seventh in defensive saves (0.07) along with Dolores Zavaleta and Sam Murphy. Zavaleta also ranks ninth in goals per game (.290).

SEEING DOUBLE
Saint Francis has five players that has scored at least two goals in a game in their career. Eva Valentini leads the way with four games, while Claudia Ortiz and Madison Waldspurger each have two matches with at least two goals, while Olivia Muffitt and Consu de Castro each have one to their credit. In Saint Francis' history, 23 different players have registered a multi-goal performance for a total of 73 times in program history.
 
de Castro, Valentini and Waldspurger each have one two-goal performance this season, while the team had four in 2022.
 
Waldspurger is also one of five players in program history to have multiple two-goal performances that includes a hat trick. The sophomore scored twice against Wagner on September 29 and had three tallies against Central Michigan on October 2, 2022.
 
Speaking of multiple statistics, Marie Sattler dished out two assists against Georgetown on October 1. It was the 37th time in program history a player has handed out more than one assist in a game. Sattler is the fifth different player on the current team to have at least two helpers in a game, joining Chloe Butz (2022), Ella Maillie (2021), Valentini (2021) and Dolores Zavaleta. Valentini is the only player on the current team to have at least two assists twice, while Zavaleta had a hat trick of helpers against LIU on October 9, 2022, which is the second-most in single-game program history.

NEC HONORS
For the fourth time in eight weeks, Saint Francis field hockey has garners two of the three Northeast Conference (NEC) weekly awards after junior Eva Valentini were named NEC Offensive Player of the Week and redshirt senior Amber Bryan were selected NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the week of October 10-16. Valentini nabs her fourth career NEC Offensive Player of the week honor, while Bryan corralled her second in her career and of the season. Prior to this season, the Loretto program only registered multi awards in the same week once in program history (2021). Valentini, a junior defender, scored both goals in a 2-1 come-from-behind dramatic win against LIU on October 13. With 83 seconds left in regulation, the two-time All-NEC performer tied the game off a penalty corner and send the game to overtime. Bryan turned away eight shots including three stops in the first overtime to help set up Valentini's against LIU. The Sharks had the only three shots in the first overtime period and one penalty corner.

Valentini and Claudia Ortiz were named Northeast Conference Prime Performers for the week of October 2-8. It is the second time this season Valentini has been named a Prime Performer. Ortiz, a redshirt senior forward, scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win against Rider on Friday for her first goal of the year and her 10th as a Red Flash. Valentini set up the game-winner after tying the match six minutes and 30 seconds prior. In addition, Valentini had the initial shot that started the scoring chance for Ortiz after she rocketed a shot off the goalkeeper before Ortiz found the back of the cage. The junior also had a defensive save on Sunday against Fairfield.

Madison Waldspurger and Marie Sattler were recognized for their efforts to help Saint Francis field hockey go 2-0 with recognition from the Northeast Conference (NEC) for the week of September 28-October 1. Waldspurger nabs her first NEC Player of the Week recognition, while Sattler has been selected as the NEC Rookie of the Week for the second time this season. Waldspurger registered two goals and an assist for five points in a 2-0 week for the Red Flash, including scoring a pair of goals in a 3-0 win against the NEC defending champions. The sophomore scored the first two tallies against the Seahawks on Friday at 27:32 and 46:07 for her second career multi-goal performance of her career. She then assisted the go-ahead marker in a 3-2 win against Georgetown.

Valentini was named an NEC Prime Performer for the week of September 18-24. Valentini scored the Red Flash's lone goal against Drexel in the 38th minute on September 24 to move into fifth place for career points in program history.

Mia DiGenova was named the NEC Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week for the week of September 11-17. DiGenova registered 11 saves in the week with a 1.00 goals aga­­­inst average in 60 minutes of work in the two games after playing the first half against Lehigh on Friday and the second half against Villanova on Sunday. After allowing a goal in the eighth minute against Lehigh, she did not allow a ball to hit the back of the cage in the final 52 minutes and 43 seconds that she played during the week. It is the second time this season and third time in team history the Red Flash won two of the three conference awards in the same week, while DiGenova is the first player in team history to win multiple awards in the same week. 

Sattler was named the NEC Co-Rookie of the Week for the week of September 4-10. It is her first conference weekly honor and the second time this season the Red Flash has earned an NEC Co-Rookie of the Week recognition. Dolores Zavaleta was named an NEC Prime Performer.Sattler broke a scoreless result when she knocked in a rebounded save off the stick of Waldspurger at 39:32 for a 1-0 lead against Lock Haven on Wednesday in a 2-1 victory. After the Bald Eagles tied the score at 50:10, the Loretto program was awarded a penalty corner. Sattler inserted the ball to Waldspurger, who found Zavaleta in front of the cage at 53:41 for the game-winner. 

Amber Bryan was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week and Consu de Castro was selected as the NEC Rookie of the Week for the first week of the season. Bryan did not allow a goal in 105 minutes in the week with five saves, while de Castro scored two goals against Queens in a 6-0 victory on August 25, including the game-winner. Waldspurger registered the lone goal in a 1-0 win against Longwood on August 27. It is the second time in program history a player has been named NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the Red Flash after Chloe South was named the top defender on September 20, 2021, which was also the only time the Red Flash won multiple awards in the same week. de Castro marks the 11th time in program history it has registered a NEC Rookie of the Week honor. 
 
NFHCA WATCH LIST
Junior Eva Valentini was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Watch List on August 31. This list is intended to showcase those field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the current year's NFHCA All-American teams. To be nominated for the 2023 NFHCA Watchlist, student-athletes must have been previously recognized for their outstanding field hockey abilities within the past two years (NFHCA All-Region, NFHCA All-American, All-Conference, Nexus Championship selection, AAU Junior Olympic Games selection, NCAA All-Tournament Team, and/or U.S. National or International Team roster) and the student-athlete's head coach must be an active NFHCA member.  This list does not constitute a nomination or selection to the NFHCA All-Region or All-American teams. Student-athletes not listed on the NFHCA Watchlist may still be nominated for NFHCA All-Region and All-American recognition.

LEADERSHIP GROUP
Senior Julia Breneman, redshirt senior Amber Bryan, junior Haley Connor, redshirt senior Riley Kromer, senior Ella Maillie, junior Eva Valentini and junior Dolores Zavaleta have been named to the Saint Francis Field Hockey Leadership Group. Breneman, Maillie and Valentini have also been named game day captains.

MILESTONE ALERT
Junior Eva Valentini has moved into a tie for fifth place in program history for career goals after scoring against Bellarmine on August 31. The junior then jumped into fifth place for career points thanks to her goal at Drexel on September 24. She will be supplanted in fifth place for awhile, needing eight tallies and 21 points to move up in each category. The junior registered the fifth-most points in a single season in 2022 with 30 points and the fourth-most goals with 12 markers.

Freshman Consu de Castro became the first freshman in program history to open the season with with two goals in a game. de Castro becomes the first Saint Francis player to score twice in a season opener since Taylor Nesmith found the back of the cage twice against Kent State in the 2019 season opener. Along with being the first freshman to have a multi-goal performance, it marks the sixth time a player has registered more than one tally in the opener and the fourth different player.
 
RETURNING ALL-NEC
Saint Francis returns 2022 All-NEC first-team performer Eva Valentini, second-team honoree Dolores Zavaleta and 2021 All-NEC second-team performer Claudia Ortiz in 2021. Valentini, who was an second-team recipient in 2022, paced the Red Flash with 12 goals and six assists for 30 points. Zavaleta paced the team with six assists along with two goals for 10 points. She registered an assist on all three goals against LIU in 2022 to become the third player in program history to turn the trick. Ortiz ranked second with six tallies and four assists for 16 points in 2021.

STICKING AROUND FOR ANOTHER YEAR
Seniors Amber Bryan, Riley Kromer, and Claudia Ortiz have all come back for their fifth season. Bryan and Kromer are in their fifth season in Loretto, while South is in her fourth after transferring from La Salle after one season and Ortiz is in her third year after two seasons at Kent State.

NEW TO THE 'LO
Freshmen Consu de Casto, T Ciaccia, Mia DiGenova, Grace Reed, Dolores Riegé and Marie Sattler and joined the team for the 2023 season. All five players made their collegiate debut against Queens on August 27 with de Castro and Sattler earning their first collegiate starting nod. de Castro notched a pair of goals, Sattler registered a goal and an assist and Riege had an assist against the Royals. DiGenova had a save in 15 minutes. Reed registered her first career goal against Villanova on September 17.
 
TOO MANY ANTHEMS TO PLAY
Along with 17 players from the United States, head coach Maria Bettiana Ceretta has four players from Argentina (Consu de Castro, Dolores Riegé, Dolores Zavaleta, Eva Valentini), two players from Canada (Francesca Primomo, Hannah Rohrer), one from Germany (Marie Sattler) and one from Spain (Claudia Ortiz) for the 2023 season.
 
ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach Maria Bettiana Ceretta is in her seventh season as the field hockey head coach at Saint Francis. She led the Red Flash back to the postseason for the sixth time in program history and the third time in NEC play last season. Ceretta is the second winningest head coach in program history. In 2022, she became an American citizen.