Thursday, May 4 | Wagner | Fairfield, Conn. | Campus Field | 1 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

CAREER HIGHS

OPENING DRAW 
It will be the 22nd meeting in the all-time series between Sacred Heart and Saint Francis dating back to the 2002 season. The Red Flash has won four of the last six meetings in the series including two out of the last three tilts in Fairfield. 

THE WORD ON SACRED HEART
Sacred Heart (9-7, 8-0 NEC) is paced by Lydia Werlau with 47 goals and 13 assists for 60 points. Emma Kittredge is second on the team with 32 goals and 10 assists for 42 points, while Grace Reinold ranks third with 34 goals and seven assists for 41 points. Claire McElehenny fuels the defense with 45 ground balls, 29 caused turnovers and 54 draw controls, and Ellie Holt has 50 draw controls, 15 caused turnovers and 24 ground balls. Lisa Martin has 70 saves, an 8.54 goals against average and a .464 save percentage this season. 

LAST TIME WE MET
The Pioneers defeated Saint Francis 16-9 on March 25 in Loretto. With the score tied at 3, Sacred Heart scored five of the next six goals in the half en route to the seven-goal victory.  Fisher led the Red Flash with five markers and an assist, while McHenry chipped in a goal and two assists. Werlau paced the Pioneers with five goals and an assist, while Reinold tallied three goals and two assists and Kittredge registered three tallies and an assist. Enrique made 19 stops for Saint Francis and Martin turned away eight shots for Sacred Heart. 

LAST TIME OUT
Lizzie Fisher paced the Red Flash with three goals and three assists in a 17-9 loss to Wagner in the regular season finale on Saturday. Autumn McHenry (Branford, Conn.) registered three goals, six draw controls and three ground balls. With her three tallies, the graduate student established a new single-season goals record with 52 goals. Freshman Bella Burke tied the single-game program record with six caused turnovers, while adding a career-high seven ground balls. The freshman also set new freshmen standards in a single season in ground balls (36) and caused turnovers (26). Elyssa Enrique turned away 18 shots in her final game at DeGol Field.

NEXT TIME OUT
The winners of the NEC Semifinals will move onto the NEC Championship Game on Saturday at 1 p.m.

IN THE NEC AND THE NATION
Graduate student Elyssa Enrique leads the NEC in save percentage (.539) and saves per game (12.07) and ranks fourth in goals against average (10.99). Through play on April 30, the graduate student leads NCAA Division I in save percentage and ranks second in saves per game, fourth in saves (184) and 38th in the nation in goals against average.

Graduate student Autumn McHenry leads the NEC in goals per game (3.50), and ranks seventh in assists per game (1.14), second in points per game (4.64), fourth in shots per game (6.21), second in draw controls per game (5.40) and sixth in caused turnovers per game (1.60). McHenry leads NCAA Division I in free-position goals per game (1.47) and has moved into 11th place for free-position percentage (.647), 13th place in goals per game in the nation, 20th in goals (52), 23rd in points per game, 36th in points (68) and 35th in draw controls per game.

Junior Danielle Hernandez is seventh in goals per game (2.29), third in assists per game (1.64) and fourth in points per game (3.93). The junior is 53rd in the nation in assists per game and 59th in NCAA Division I in assists (20) and 74th in points per game game. Senior Kelly Dickson is fourth in the NEC in assists per game (1.21).

Sophomore Chyler Espino sits fifth in ground balls per game (2.54). Freshman Bella Fisher is third in goals per game (2.86), fifth in points per game (3.29) and third in shots per game (6.64). Freshman Bella Burke is seventh in ground balls (2.15) and ninth in caused turnovers per game (1.38).

As a team, the Red Flash leads the NEC in goals per game (14.07), ground balls per game (18.64), points per game (20.43), saves per game (12.29), save percentage (.534) and shots on goal (24.07). In the nation, the team ranks third in save percentage ranks 10th in ground balls per game, 20th in draw controls per game (15.53), 26th in assists per game, 27th in points per game, 29th in scoring offense (goals per game), 39th in caused turnovers per game (8.60) and 45th in scoring defense (goals against average).

NEC HONORS
Saint Francis has won a major award in the nine of the 10 weeks it has been playing this season and have established a new program record with 16 major weekly awards in 2023 to surpass last year's mark of seven major weekly awards.

Freshman Bella Burke became the third member of the Saint Francis women's lacrosse team to earn Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week with her honor for the week of April 24-29. The freshman was also named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season. Burke and graduate student Autumn McHenry have been named NEC Prime Performers. Burke paced the defense with a career-high seven ground balls and six caused turnovers against Wagner to tie the single-game program record for caused turnovers in a game and the seventh most ground balls in a single game in team history. In her final regular season home game, McHenry stuffed the stat sheet with three goals, six draw controls, three ground balls and a caused turnover. 

Yogi Berra would say that the Northeast Conference women's lacrosse award winners for Saint Francis are "déjà vu all over again" because for the second week in row graduate student McHenry was named the NEC Player of the Week and Fisher was selected as the NEC Rookie of the Week for the week of April 17-23. In addition, for the second week in a row McHenry, Fisher, junior Danielle Hernandez and Burke were named Prime Performers for the week. McHenry registered her third consecutive six-goal performance and scored three-straight goals in the match to help the Red Flash take the lead it would not relinquish to earn the team's program-record 10th win of the year and continue its program-best six-game winning streak thanks to a 17-11 win against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday. Fisher registered her second-straight six goal in the win against St. Bonaventure. Burke registered four ground balls and three caused turnovers against the Bonnies, while Hernandez registered four goals and two assists on Wednesday.
 
Both McHenry and Fisher accomplished some milestones on the field, but also made some history after winning their NEC honors this week. McHenry is the fifth player in NEC history dating back to 2004 to bestow the Player of the Week title three times in the same season and her thrice wins are second most since 2004. Fisher is only the fourth player in NEC history to take home the top rookie of the week honors four or more times in the last 20 years and is now tied for the top spot with five NEC Rookie of the Week awards for most in league history with Megan Nutter (Monmouth, 2005) and Ally Alliegro (Wagner, 2018). 

McHenry had a record-breaking week for the Saint Francis women's lacrosse team and she can add being named the NEC Player of the Week for the third time in her career for the week of April 10-16. She is the fifth player in program history to win the honor twice in one season, but the first to be a three-time award winner in her career. McHenry tied two single-game individual program-records in the week to help the Red Flash clinch its first-ever NEC Tournament berth, most wins in the conference and the season in program history and extend the program-long five-game winning streak after posting 15 goals, four assists, 19 points, five ground balls, six caused turnovers and 15 draw controls in two wins.
 
Fisher  also had a record-setting performance on the field that turned into a record-setting NEC Rookie of the Week recognition after receiving the honor for the fourth time this season. Christina Roncarati held the previous mark with three honors last season. Fisher posted nine goals and one assist for 10 points along with two ground balls and three draw controls.

McHenry, Fisher, Burke and Hernandez were also named NEC Prime Performers for the week of April 10-16. Burke registered seven caused turnovers, six ground balls and four draw controls, while Hernandez posted seven goals and four assists for 11 points along with seven draw controls, two ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Burke was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the week of April 3-9, while and Fisher was tabbed as the NEC Rookie of the Week for the third time this season.Burke registered a career-high five ground balls and four caused turnovers to help the Red Flash tie the program record for wins in a season with seven victories and register its second three-game win streak in 2023. Fisher stuffed the stat sheet in her return to her home state with four goals, two assists, six points, three ground balls and two caused turnovers in the win against the Warriors.

For the second time this season, Hernandez was named the NEC Player of the Week and freshman Julia Givens has been tabbed as the NEC Rookie of the Week for the week of March 27-April 2. The duo first won the same honors for the week of February 27-April 5. In addition, Hernandez, Givens and graduate student McHenry were named NEC Prime Performers. Hernandez registered eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in a 2-0 week for the Red Flash. Givens registered a career-high five goals and six points against Stonehill, including scoring the eventual game-winner with 1:13 left in the fourth quarter against Stonehill, while McHenry registered seven goals and three assists for 10 points along with 15 draw controls, five ground balls and four caused turnovers in the week. 

After her second career five-goal performance, Fisher was named the NEC Co-Rookie of the Week for the week of March 20-26.

McHenry was named an NEC Prime Performer for the week of March 13-20 after posting seven goals and one assist for eight points along with 15 draw controls, two caused turnovers and two ground balls in the week.

McHenry was honored for the second time this season with a major award and her first career NEC Defensive Player of the Week honor for the week of March 6-12. Fisher was named the NEC Rookie of the Week, while senior Kelly Dickson joined the duo as Prime Performers. McHenry registered three assists, six draw controls, five ground balls and two caused turnovers in a 12-9 win against Kent State. Fisher registered five goals in the win against Kent State, including four of the first seven Red Flash goals. Dickson tallied a career-high three goals and an assist for four points, along with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.

The Red Flash swept the NEC weekly awards for the first time in program history for the week of February 27-March 5. Hernandez was named the NEC Player of the Week, graduate student Elyssa Enrique was tabbed as the NEC Defensive Player of the Week and Givens was selected as the NEC Rookie of the Week for the week of February 27-March 5. Hernandez and Enrique were also named NEC Prime Performers along with McHenry. Hernandez registered four goals and an assist in a 2-0 week for the Red Flash and was pivotal in both wins, while Enrique had 24 saves, a 6.42 goals against average and a .667 save percentage in the two games in 111:12 minutes of work. Givens posted four goals and an assist and was the catalyst to a pair of wins for the Red Flash in the week and McHenry had a pair of goals in both games.

McHenry was named the NEC Player of the Week for the week of February 20-26 after registering six goals and two assists for eight points, four draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers. McHenry and Dickson were also named NEC Prime Performers. Dickson registered two goals and three assists for five points and added four ground balls, four caused turnovers and three draw controls. 

MILESTONE ALERT
Graduate student Autumn McHenry has moved into third place in program history in draw controls (236). McHenry moved into second place by herself in career assists with 74 helpers and needs two assists to tie the program record and three helpers to hold the record exclusively. The graduate student is second in points (204) and became the second player in program history with 200 points against St. Bonaventure on April 18. She also currently sits in fourth place with 130 tallies and became the sixth player in team history with 100 goals with her first score against Stonehill on April 1. She can move into third place with 15 tallies. McHenry has also cracked the Top-10 in caused turnovers and ground balls. The graduate student is second in caused turnovers with 63, while she sits fifth in ground balls (105) and became the fifth player in program history with 100 ground balls against the Bonnies. She is the first player in program history with 100 goals, 200 points, 200 draw controls and 100 ground balls. 

McHenry also sits third on the single-season chart with 81 draw controls. She also moved into second place for points in a season with 68, needing six points to hold the single-season record in the category (73). She became the new single-season leader in goals with 52 after scoring three times against Wagner on April 29.

McHenry also tied the program record for points in a game with 10 points thanks to six goals and four assists against FDU on April 12 and then three days later tied the program record for goals in a game with nine against CCSU on April 15. She also is tied for the program record for assists in a game, which she has accomplished twice.

Graduate student Elyssa Enrique ranks third in program history in saves with 553. The graduate student became the third player to reach 400 saves with her third save in the first quarter against Delaware State on March 5 and joined the 500-stop club with her fourth save against Merrimack on April 8. Samantha Morgan is in second place on the all-time list with 578 saves. The graduate student also tied the single-game program record with 24 saves against Stetson on March 14 and had the fifth-most saves in a game with 19 stops against Sacred Heart on March 25. The 153 saves this season are the fifth most on the single-season chart and can move into fourth place with six stops and third place with 21 saves.

Senior Kelly Dickson has moved into 10th place on the career caused turnover list with 45 caused miscues and can move into ninth place with one caused turnover (46), eighth with two caused turnovers (47) and fifth place with six caused turnovers (50).

Junior Danielle Hernandez currently sits with 34 assists to move into seventh place for her career helpers and can move into sixth with three  assists (37). The 25 assists this season is is the second most on the single-season chart and can tie the single-season mark with two helpers (27). She also has 57 points to sit seventh on the single season list, one point from sixth (58), three points from fifth (60) and six points from fourth (63).

Freshman Bella Fisher became the program's all-time leader for goals by a freshman after scoring six times against CCSU. She has now twinkled the twine 41 times this season. The freshman became the freshmen leader in points with 47 against St. Bonaventure. She also sits in sixth place for draw controls as a freshman with 38, needing two draws for fifth place (40), three draws for fourth place (41) and five draws for third place (38). Fellow freshman Julia Givens now sits eighth in goals for a freshmen with 20 and can move into seventh place with one tally (21) and sixth place with four scores (24).

Freshman Bella Burke became the program's freshman leader in ground balls (36) and caused turnovers (26) thanks to a career-high seven ground balls and six caused turnovers against Wagner on April 29. The six caused turnovers tied the single-game program record, while the ground balls were the seventh most in a single game in team history.

Saint Francis has established the single-season team record for goals (206), assists (97) and points (303), while posting the second-most draw controls (233), fifth-most caused turnovers (133) and ninth-most ground balls (284).  

HATTIES
Graduate student Autumn McHenry registered a career-high nine goals against CCSU on April 15 after posting a then career-best six tallies against FDU on April 12. She has registered eight games with at least four goals this season and has 15 hat tricks in her career. Senior Lizzie Fisher has three hat tricks this season, including a career-high tying four goal performance against FDU and six hat tricks in her career. Freshman Bella Fisher has seven games with at least three goals including a career-high six scores at CCSU against against St. Bonaventure. Junior Danielle Hernandez also has seven games with at least three goals including four four-goal performances. Freshman Julia Givens has four games with a hat trick including a career-best five goals against Stonehill. Senior Kelly Dickson and freshman Brooke Lacey also have a three-goal performance this season.

Fisher and Givens each missed the freshman record for goals in a game by one tally with their five-goal performances. Chelsea Kent holds the freshman record with six scores against Niagara (March 12, 2009) and against Howard (March 18, 2009), which also sits tied for ninth on the single-game charts.

COLLEGIATE DEBUT
Freshmen Bella Fisher, Bella Burke and Julia Givens each made their collegiate debut in the starting lineup against Longwood on February 22. Brooke Lacey and Mak Patten both made their first collegiate appearance. Fisher (two goals), Givens (three goals) and Patten (one assist) each had their first collegiate point in the match against the Lancers. CeCe Newman made her collegiate debut against Lehigh on February 25 and made six saves.

AYE, AYE, CAPTAIN
Graduate student Autumn McHenry and senior Kelly Dickinson have been named captains for the 2023 season. McHenry was also a captain in 2022.

Senior Bella Barnard, senior Lizzie Fisher, sophomore Chyler Espino and junior Holly Jones have been named to the lacrosse leadership council.

RETURNING ALL-NEC PERFORMERS
Graduate student Autumn McHenry returns after nabbing her first All-NEC first-team honor in 2022. She was also selected to the 2021 All-NEC second team and the 2018 All-Rookie team. Junior Danielle Hernandez was named to the All-NEC Rookie team in 2021.

WELCOME TO THE LO'
Saint Francis women's lacrosse head coach Tracy Coyne has added six freshmen to the 2023 roster. CeCe Newman, Mak Patten, Bella Fisher, Brooke Lacey, Bella Burke and Julia Givens all joined the team this season. In addition, assistant coach Morgan Gott comes to Loretto after serving as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan.

FROM THE GREAT WHITE NORTH
Saint Francis has three players that hail from Canada in sophomores Olivia Baldini (Hamilton, Ontario) and Taylor Coughlin (Hespeler, Ontario) and freshman Mak Patten (Welland, Ontario) on its roster. Head coach Tracy Coyne also spend some time as the Canadian National Team head coach from 1999-2005 and earned fourth-place standings in the 2001 and 2005 World Cups.

ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach Tracy Coyne enters her fourth season at Saint Francis and her 34th campaign in her legendary career. She holds a 314-220 career record to be one of 27 coaches in the NCAA with at least 250 wins, and became one of 20 coaches to reach 300 wins with the 10-6 win at Akron on February 27, 2022. Coyne became the program's winningest head coach in program history in a 17-11 win against St. Bonaventure on April 19. In 2023, under her tutelage the Red Flash has set a program record for overall wins (10), conference wins (5), longest winning streak (6) and clinched the program's first-ever NEC Tournament appearance. She has led 12 teams to the NCAA Tournament between the NCAA DI and DIII levels with six conference championships and several NCAA Final Four appearances. Coyne was inducted into the Roanoke College Hall of Fame in 2023.