Friday, November 3 | vs. Sacred Heart | Staten Island, N.Y. | Wagner Field Hockey Complex | 2:00 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE STATS
 
OPENING STICK 
Friday's match between Saint Francis and Sacred Heart marks the 20th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2001 season. The Red Flash has won five of the last nine meetings. The two teams will battle for the second time after closing the regular season against each other in Loretto exactly one week ago. This will be the third time in program history the Red Flash will play a team in back-to-back games in the postseason. In 2007 (Lock Haven) and 2011 (Rider) played the same team in consecutive games, but in both instances the Saint Francis opponent won both matches. 
 
THE WORD ON SACRED HEART
Sacred Heart, winners of four-straight games, comes into the contest 7-10 on the year after defeating Lock Haven 1-0 on Sunday. Freshman senior midfielder Isabelle Chamberlain leads the Pioneers with seven goals and three assists for 17 points. Freshman forward Madelyn Kidd is second on the squad with five markers and four assists for 14 points and senior forward Claire Skumurski ranks third with five goals for 10 points. Junior goalkeeper Samantha Maresca has 107 saves, 3.25 goals against average and a .690 save percentage.
 
LAST TIME WE MET/LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers defeated the Red Flash 2-0 on October27 in the regular season finale. Isabelle Chamberlain and Claire Skurmurski registered the two tallies for Sacred Heart in the winning effort. Amber Bryan made one stop for Saint Francis and Samantha Maresca had four saves for the Pioneers.   

NEXT TIME OUT
The winner of the Saint Francis-Sacred Heart match will meet the winner of the No.1 Fairfield-No. 4 Wagner match on Sunday at 12 p.m.

FLASH POSTSEASON HISTORY
Saint Francis will be making its seventh appearance in a conference postseason and the fifth time the Red Flash will participate in the NEC Tournament (2007, 2011, 2012, 2022, 2023). The squad also advanced to the Atlantic-10 postseason twice (2014, 2016). It marks the fourth time Saint Francis will be the No. 4 seed and face the top seed in the tournament (2007, 2011, 2016, 2022). The Red Flash and Sacred Heart will square off in the postseason for the first time. The Loretto program has scored two goals in the postseason and will be looking for its first appearance in a championship game.

Saint Francis Postseason Results
2007 - #1 Lock Haven, #4 Saint Francis 0
2011 - #1 Rider 2, #4 Saint Francis 0
2012 - #3 Monmouth 3, #2 Saint Francis 2
2014 - #2 Richmond 5, #3 Saint Francis 0 (Atlantic-10)
2016 - #1 Saint Joseph 2, #4 Saint Francis 1 (Atlantic-10)
2022 - #1 Rider 2, #4 Saint Francis 0 

All-NEC HONORS
Saint Francis University field hockey head coach Maria Bettiana Ceretta has been named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year. The award is NEC Coaching Staff of the Year, but Ceretta has maneuvered the season without an assistant coach. Ceretta becomes the third different head coach to earn the honor and mark the fifth time in program history the Red Flash has bestowed the top coaching honor. Liz deSimas was the NEC Coach of the Year in 2007, while Stacey Bean was tabbed as the NEC Coach of the Year in 2012 and the Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year in 2014. Junior defender Eva Valentini was named to the All-NEC first team, while redshirt senior goalkeeper Amber Bryan, sophomore defender Madison Waldspurger and freshman midfielder Marie Sattler (Kaiserslautern, Germany/Hohenstaufen-Gymnasium) have been named to the All-NEC second team. Valentini becomes the first player to earn three All-NEC honors, but the fourth player in program history to earn at least three all-conference honors. Carissa Makea (2011-14) was named to the first team all four years of her career with two years in the NEC and two years in the A-10. Autumn Pellman was named to the All-NEC first team in 2012, the All-A-10 second team in 2013 and the All-A-10 first team in 2014, while Selena Adamshick was a first-team honor in the NEC in 2012 and the A-10 in 2014 and 2015. Sattler becomes the fifth freshman to be named to an all-conference team, joining Makea (2011), Adamshick (2012) and Valentini (2021) from the NEC era, and Irene Fitschy (2015) from the team's time in the A-10. Saint Francis has registered 15 different players named to an All-NEC team for a total of 19 times in program history with seven first-team selections and 12 second-team honorees. Along with the players honored in 2023, Claudia Ortiz (2021) and Dolores Zavaleta (2022) are members of the current team to earn all-conference honors. 

WHERE WE STAND WITH OUR RECORD
Saint Francis has clinched its six non-losing season and five winning season in program history. In addition, the Red Flash has posted double-digit wins for the fifth time in program history (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016). With a win against Sacred Heart, the Loretto team would have 11 wins for the second time in program history and the third most wins in program history. The 5-2 NEC record is the second-best mark in team history, matching last year's mark.

IN THE NEC
Marie Sattler, who ranks seventh in assists per game in NCAA Division I, leads the NEC in assists (10) and assists per game (0.625), seventh in points (14), seventh in points (14) and points per game (0.88). Amber Bryan ranking second in the league in goals against average (1.15), third in save percentage (.741), seventh in saves (43) and eighth in saves per game (2.69). Eva Valentini paced the NEC in shots per game (3.50), while ranking second in goals (9) and goals per game (.563), second in points (21), points per game (1.31), second in defensive saves (4) and fourth in shots on goal (1.44). Madison Waldspurger ranks ninth in shots per game (1.88), fourth in assists (6), fourth in assists per game (.353) and 15th in points (12).

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 Olivia Muffitt, Claudia Ortiz and Madison Waldspurger each have two matches with at least two goals, while 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, Muffitt, 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
Olivia Muffitt and Eva Valentini were named NEC Prime Performers for the week of October 16-22. Muffitt notched three goals on the weekend, while Valentini added two goals and an assist in the two games in New England.  

For the fourth time in eight weeks, Saint Francis field hockey has garners two of the three Northeast Conference (NEC) weekly awards after junior Valentini 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 six tallies and 17 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.