Friday, November 1 | Merrimack | Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Field | 4:00 p.m. | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

OPENING STICK 
Friday's game between Saint Francis and Merrimack marks the fourth meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2021 season. The Red Flash has won the last two matches in the series and the only meeting in Loretto. 

THE WORD ON MERRIMACK
Merrimack comes into the match 0-15 overall and 0-6 in NEC play after falling 8-0 at New Hampshire on Sunday. Julie Webster leads the team with a goal and an assist for three points, while Emily Beichert and Gianna Cioni each have posted a goal this season. Isabelle Gardiner has 210 saves, a 5.35 goals-against average, and a .719 save percentage. 

THE LAST TIME WE MET 
Olivia Muffitt scored twice and added an assist to lead Saint Francis past Merrimack 4-1 on October 20, 2023. Eva Valentini added a tally and an assist. Chloe Agopian hit the cage for the Warriors. Mia DiGenova made two saves in the second half, and Amber Bryan had a clean sheet in the first 30 minutes. Brooke Bolduc made eight saves for Merrimack.

CANNED FOOD DRIVE 
Saint Francis will be collecting canned foods this weekend for the NEC SAAC Canned Food Drive Initative. This is a friendly competition among the NEC schools that has seen Saint Francis come out on top several times over the last couple of years.

NEXT TIME OUT
With a win and some help, Saint Francis will participate in the NEC Tournament on November 7, and 9 in Staten Island, N.Y. Rider, and Wagner have already punched their tickets with two spots up for grabs on Friday.

POSTSEASON OUTLOOK
There are two paths for the Loretto team to make the Northeast Conference Tournament with a win. A Fairfield loss to Stonehill or an LIU loss to Sacred Heart are the most straightforward paths. A Fairfield loss would put Saint Francis in a tie with Fairfield and Stonehill, and the Red Flash would win that tiebreaker. A Fairfield loss is the key for Saint Francis because even with an LIU win, the Red Flash would advance in a four-way tiebreaker with LIU, Fairfield, and Stonehill because LIU would be the team that takes the three-seed in that four-team tiebreaker. Then Saint Francis would again win the three-way tiebreaker with Fairfield and Stonehill. LIU and Saint Francis are currently tied at 4-3, so an LIU loss and an SFU win would move the Red Flash ahead of the Sharks in the standings.

LAST TIME OUT
Saint Francis kept its playoff hopes alive with a Friday 2-1 win against Fairfield. Sofia Marciano scored the game-winner late in the fourth quarter, and Consu de Castro had the game-equalizer earlier in the half. The Red Flash honored its senior class on Sunday and lost to Bellarmine. Riley Kromer posted a tally in the afternoon.

WINNING SEASONS
With a win on Friday, Saint Francis will post 10 wins for the second straight season and the sixth time in program history, with all five previous occasions happening in the 13 years. The other teams to win double figures are 2014 (14-3), 2012 (12-6), 2016 (11-9), 2015 (10-7) and 2023 (10-8). The Red Flash has already clinched its third consecutive and eighth overall non-losing season. Along with the teams that won at least 10 games, the 2013 squad went 8-8.

CLUTCH PERFORMANCES
Philadephia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos may have bad timing when he hit home runs, but senior Dolores Zavaleta has the perfect timing when she scores a goal. Seven of her nine career goals have been game-winning, including three times this season. Also, her moments of glory in 2024 have been the deciding goal in the season opener, home opener, and NEC home opener. Four of the senior's game deciders have come at DeGol Field. Six of the seven game-winners have come in the fourth quarter or later. Zavaleta also has three game-winners against Georgetown in her four meetings with the Hoyas. Sophomore Madison Waldspurger has four game-winners, sophomore Consu de Castro has two game-deciders, while freshmen Cruz Canepa, Kylee Hager, Sofia Marciano and sophomore T Ciaccia have a game-winner. However, in the fourth quarter or later, Zavaleta was the only one with a game-winner in a one-goal game before Hager's first collegiate goal against Lock Haven on October 13 and Marciano posted her first NEC tally against Fairfield on October 25.

SCORING LEADERS
Senior Dolores Zavaleta leads the team with 10 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in her career. Junior Madison Waldspurger also has 38 points after registering 13 goals and 12 assists in her career. Sophomore Consu de Castro (14 goals, three assists, 31 points) are the only players that have posted more than 10 points in their career. De Castro (11 goals, two assists, 24 points), Waldspurger (six goals, five assists, 17 points) Zavaleta (four goals, six assists, 14 points) lead the team in scoring this season.

ALL-TIME LISTS
Senior Dolores Zavaleta has 10 goals and 18 assists for 38 career points. She can move into the program's all-time career Top-10 assist list with one helper and into the Top-10 for points with one more point. Junior Madison Waldspurger is also creeping up on the first with 13 goals and 12 assists for 38 points to inch closer to the Top-10 in points to currently be sitting tied with Zavaleta for 11th place in career points. Sophomore Consu de Castro has 11 tallies this season to mark the 15th time in program history a player has reached double figures in a season to rank seventh in program history, and she is the ninth different player to reach double figures in goals in a season. The sophomore can move into fourth place with her next tally and third place with two markers. In addition she can move into the Top-10 in the season chart with three points. Freshman Cruz Canepa dished out three assists to become the fourth player in program history to have a helper on three tallies in a game against Wagner on October 20. Canepa can move into sixth place on the single-season assist list with two helpers. Sophomore Mia DiGenova had 19 saves in the season-opening win against Ball State to rank fourth in single-game history in saves. 

A WINNING HAND: TWO OF A KIND
Sophomore Consu de Castro has four career two-goal performances in her career to become the sixth player in program history with that mark. In addition, the sophomore is the seventh player in program history to post two matches with multiple goals in a single season. It was the 59th time in team history a player posted precisely two goals in a game, and the 72nd time in team history a player had a multi-goal performance. The Red Flash is 61-11 when a player has at least two tallies in a game. De Castro also became the 12th player in team history with five points in a game, marking the 20th time a player posted five or more points in a match. The five points rank 13th in single-game history. Junior Madison Waldspurger is the only other player on the road with three contests with at least two goals in a game and the only player to register a hat trick, which ranks seventh in points in single-game program history. Waldspurger,  senior Dolores Zavaleta, and freshman Cruz Canepa are the only players to have a pair of games with multiple assists. Like the success with multiple goals in the same game by one player, Saint Francis is 43-8 in games when a player has numerous assists.

NEC HONORS
Freshman Sofia Marciano was named the NEC Rookie of the Week on October 29, while Marciano and sophomore Consu de Castro were selected as NEC Prime Performers. Both players were key to the Red Flash staying in contention for the postseason after de Castro tied the game and Marciano posted the game-winner against Fairfield.

It marks the first time the Red Flash had a player earn top rookie honors this season, the 15th time in NEC history for the team, and Marciano is the 11th different player to earn the distinction. Since rejoining the league in 2021, the Loretto program has collected 10 of its 15 honors. Four of Marciano's teammates have also been named NEC Rookie of the Week, joining Dolores Zavaleta (2021), Madison Waldspurger (twice, 2022), Consu de Castro (2023) and Mia DiGenova (2023). It marks the third time a Saint Francis player has earned a major weekly award this season after DiGenova captured two NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this season. De Castro leads the team with five NEC Prime Performers, while Waldspurger and DiGenova each have four. Zavaleta has three Prime Performers, and Marciano and Cruz Cánepa have one apiece.

De Castro and Waldspurger were named NEC Prime Performers on October 22. Both players posted two goals against Wagner to earn the distinction.

Waldspurger was named an NEC Prime Performer on October 15. The junior had a goal and two assists in the week and set up the decisive goal in overtime despite not getting credit for the helper.

DiGenova was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week on October 8. The sophomore had 13 saves and a shutout against Sacred Heart in a 3-0 win. DiGenova and Waldspurger were both named Prime Performers. Waldspurger scored a goal in both games on the weekend.

Senior Dolores Zavaleta and DiGenova were named NEC Prime Performers on October 1. Zavaleta posted the game-winning goal against Stonehill, and DiGenova made five stops against the Skyhawks on September 27.

Sophomores DiGenova and de Castro were named NEC Prime Performers on September 23. de Castro registered five points on two goals and an assist against Queen of Charlotte on September 20 in a 3-0 win, while DiGenova had five saves in the two games on the weekend. 

De Castro, freshman Cruz Canepa, and Waldspurger were named NEC Prime Performers on September 16. Canepa and de Castro each had a goal and an assist, while Waldspurger added a goal. 

Zavaleta was named an NEC Prime Performer for the second straight week after scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 win against Georgetown on September 8. It was the third time in her career that she had registered a game-winner against the Hoyas.

DiGenova was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the season's first weekend. The sophomore had 19 saves in a 3-2 double-overtime win against Ball State on August 30, the fourth most in single-game program history. She added eight stops against Miami (Ohio) two days later. She was selected as NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time after taking home that honor and NEC Rookie of the Week honors on September 9, 2023. DiGenova is one of six players in program history with at least three major weekly awards. DiGenova, de Castro (two goals against Ball State), and Zavelta (game-winner against Ball State) were named NEC Prime Performers for the week. 

DiGenova now leads the team with four Prime Performer selections through six weeks. Waldspurger, Zavaleta and de Castro each have three NEC Prime Performers, while Cánepa has one.

COLLEGIATE FIRSTS
Junior Emilee Myers notched her first collegiate assist on the game-winning goal against Ball State on August 30 and had her first career tally against Mercyhurst on September 15. Freshmen Cruz Canepa,  Josefina Sayal Aguirre, and sophomore T Ciaccia notched their first career goal against Mercyhurst on September 13. Two days later, Canepa followed that up with her first career assist against the Lakers. Sophomore Grace Reed and freshman Anna Commero also recorded their first career helper in the first match against Mercyhurst. Freshman Sofia Marciano recorded her first career tally against Queens of Charlotte on September 20. Kylee Hager notched her first career tally in overtime against Lock Haven 3-2 on October 13.

FIRST WIN AS A HEAD COACH
Head coach Mackenzie Allessie can become the second head coach in. team history to start league play 3-0 with a win on Friday. Allessie's predecessor, Maria Bettiana Ceretta, won her first three league games in the Atlantic 10 in 2017. Allessie also won her first game in her collegiate head coaching debut in a 3-2 double-overtime win against Ball State on August 30, her first game in Loretto with a 1-0 win against Georgetown on September 8, her NEC opener 3-1 against Mercyhurst on September 15 and her NEC home opener 2-1 against Stonehill on September 27. Ceretta is the only head coach in program history to turn that trick or even win her first game as a head coach, home game, or conference game. Ceretta knocked out her first collegiate win and won at home with a 4-0 decision against Central Michigan on August 25, 2017. She won her first Atlantic-10 game with a 1-0 win against UMass at home on September 22, 2017. Stacy Bean is the only other head coach to win her NEC debut on the road at Siena on October 12, 2008 (Bean lost 1-0 to Lock Haven two days prior at home in her first NEC-coached game). 

RETURNING ALL-NEC
Saint Francis returns 2023 All-NEC second-team performers Amber Bryan and Madison Waldspurger, while senior Dolores Zavaleta returns for her final year after earning second-team honors in 2021. 

STICKING AROUND FOR ANOTHER YEAR
Seniors Amber Bryan and Riley Kromer have come back for their sixth season.

NEW TO THE 'LO
Along with head coach Mackenzie Allessie and assistant coach Alexa Rastigue, junior Emilee Myers, sophomore Brooklyn Widdess and freshmen Cruz Cánepa, Hannah Capo, Anna Commero, Madilyn Donmoyer, Kylee Hager, Josie Ickes, Sofia Marciano, Gates McAllister and Josefina Sayal Aguirre have joined the team in 2024. Myers played at La Salle for two seasons, while Widdess comes to Loretto have one season at Coverse College.
 
TOO MANY ANTHEMS TO PLAY
Along with 17 players from the United States, head coach Mackenzie Allessie has four players from Argentina (Consu de Castro, Sofia Marciano, Josefina Sayal Aguirre, Dolores Zavaleta), two players from Canada (Gates McAllister, Brooklyn Widdess), and one from Spain (Cruz Cánepa) for the 2024 season.
 
ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach Mackenzie Allessie enters her first season as head coach after a successful five-year collegiate career at Ohio State and Penn State. She tallied 61 goals and 45 assists for 167 points in two seasons at Ohio State and three at Penn State. A five-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American and five-time NFHCA All-Region first-team selection, she helped the Nittany Lions to the NCAA national semifinals for the first time since 2007 and a share of the Big Ten Championship in 2022. Allessie, named to the All-Big Ten first team in all five seasons, was named the Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year during the 2021 spring season after posting 15 goals and five assists in 16 games for Ohio State. Allessie helped the United States win the bronze medal in the Pan American games in 2019 in Chile after becoming the youngest player named to the United States National Team in 2018. She registered the most goals scored by a member of Team USA during those 2019 games. She was also named to the United States National Team in 2022.