WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Lizzie Fisher (Hagerstown, Md.) posted four goals in the first half and finished the match with a career-high six goals and one assist for seven points to power Saint Francis past Merrimack 17-7 in Northeast Conference (NEC) women's lacrosse action on Saturday.
>> Lizzie Fisher's six-goal performance is tied for the 10th most in a single game in Red Flash history.
>> Bella Fisher (Duxbury, Mass.) added four tallies, seven draw controls, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers, while Julia Givens (Elverson, Pa.) added three markers and an assist, three ground balls, three caused turnovers, and a draw control.
>> Taylor Coughlin (Hespeler, Ontario) made seven saves, while along with Givens' performance, Bella Burke (East Moriches, N.Y.) tallied three ground balls, two caused turnovers, and three draw controls.
 
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
After each team had a three-goal run to start the game, Bella Fisher scored consecutive goals to give Saint Francis the lead it would not relinquish and start a 5-0 run. The sophomore converted a free-position attempt at 14:38 in the second quarter for a 4-3 lead, and then she caused a turnover, got the ground ball, and twinkled the twine at 13:41 for a 5-3 edge. Lizzie Fisher followed with a tally off a Danielle Hernandez (New Fairfield, Conn.) helper at 11:01 before Brooke Lacey (Bethel, Conn.) posted an 8-meter marker at 8:40. Lizzie Fisher capped the scoring in the first half with her fourth goal of the afternoon off a Mak Patten (Welland, Ontario) assist at 3:24 for an 8-3 advantage.

FLASH QUOTES
"Today's win was a total team effort. We came out hot and never looked back. It was an awesome turnaround after Wednesday's loss. Lizzie had an amazing game. She read their defense so well, which created great scoring opportunities. She and Bella Fisher proved to be the dynamic duo again. Bella killed it on the draw circle." – head coach Tracy Coyne on the offense

"The defense was rock solid. Anytime you hold an opponent scoreless for an entire quarter, it speaks volumes about how well the unit played together. We had more caused turnovers and more ground balls as a team than Merrimack. We played very tough defensively." – Coyne on the defense

FLASH MOMENTS
Givens registered a goal to start the Saint Francis scoring in the second half off Elizabeth Mahmud's (Downingtown, Pa.) first career assist at 10:16 in the third quarter.

After the Warriors trimmed the margin to three goals, the Red Flash scored eight of the final nine tallies in the final 18 minutes of the game. Bella Fisher stopped the mini Warriors run with an 8-meter goal at 2:28, and then Givens converted a free-position attempt of her own with two seconds left for an 11-6 lead.

Hernandez opened the fourth quarter with an 8-meter score 36 seconds into the final frame before Nancy Alden (East Lyme, Conn.) found the back of the net unassisted at 12:21. After Lizzie Fisher fed Lacey at 9:41, Bella Fisher netted her fourth goal of the day off a Givens' feeder at 9:05, and Lizzie Fisher twinkled the twine for the fifth time off a Colleen Roche (Orlando, Fla.) pass at 4:31. After a Merrimack goal, Lizzie Fisher capped her career day off a pass from Tori Petrie (Whitney Point, N.Y.) with 47 seconds left in the game.

Lizzie Fisher and Alden helped the Loretto program open the game with three straight goals to take a 3-0 lead. Alden connected with Lizzie Fisher at 11:20 to start the scoring on the afternoon. After Givens found the back of the cage off a Lacey assist at 8:48, Alden and Lizzie Fisher connected again at 8:01 for the three-goal lead.

FLASH NUGGETS
Lizzie Fisher's six goals rank as the 10th-most in single-game program history. The graduate student becomes the 10th different Saint Francis player to have exactly six goals in a game, and a player has turned the trick a total of 15 times. Current teammate Bella Fisher has two career six-goal games on her resume. 

It is the second time Lizzie Fisher has recorded at least five goals at home this season after posting five goals against Robert Morris on February 28. It is the second time she has posted five points in a tilt this season and the sixth time in her career. The graduate student has a career-high 20 goals in seven games after posting 17 markers last season in nine matches.

Bella Fisher recorded her second game of the season with at least four twine twinklers, while she matched her career high with seven draw controls and matched her career best in ground balls (3) and caused turnovers. The sophomore has eight games in her career with at least four goals and now has 61 goals and 14 assists for 75 points in her career. The sophomore is the second fastest player to reach 75 points in program history, achieving the feat in 23 games after Kate Simmons hit 75 points in 22 matches.

Givens registered her second hat trick this season and sixth three-goal performance of her career. The four points mark the third time she has reached that total in her career. The sophomore also reached three ground balls and three caused turnovers for the second time this season after reaching that total against Rider on February 22. She had grabbed three ground balls four times in her career.

After having a career-high five goals against Kent State on Wednesday, Alden posted a goal and two assists against the Warriors on Saturday. It is the second time in her career that she has dished out at least two assists after handing out three helpers against Howard on March 30, 2022. 

Coughlin allowed seven goals in a game, the fewest goals in 60 minutes of action for the junior against the third-highest-scoring offense in the NEC.

Burke registered a season-high three caused turnovers and had at least three caused miscues for the sixth time in her career and the first time since turning the trick in the last five regular season games of her freshman year. After having three draw controls in her first five games this season, the sophomore corralled nine draw controls in the two games during the week.

Mahmud registered her first career goal and assist in the week, notching her first career twine twinkler on Wednesday and her first helper on Saturday.
 
NEXT UP
Saint Francis returns to action on Saturday, March 23, at Wagner. Game time is noon.