WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Bella Fisher (Duxbury, Mass.) scored a game-high five goals, while freshman Elizabeth Mahmud (Downingtown, Pa.) had the decisive tally and the final draw control to help Saint Francis secure an 8-7 win against Wagner in Northeast Conference (NEC) women's lacrosse action on Saturday.
>> Fisher put the Red Flash up for good with 1:32 left in the third quarter on her fifth goal of the afternoon. Mahmud made the score 8-6 with 3:05 left in the match and then scooped up the draw control with 2:06 left to help almost run out the clock.
>> Taylor Coughlin (Hespeler, Ontario) made seven saves and allowed only three Seahawks markers in the final 47 minutes and 14 seconds to help Saint Francis rally for the win.
>> It is the seventh time in NEC play the squad had allowed seven goals or fewer in a game and the 25th time in program history.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
After Wagner tied the match at 5, Fisher twinkled the twine with 1:32 left in the third quarter to give the Red Flash the lead it would not relinquish. The sophomore gave the Loretto program its first two-goal lead with 10:20 left in the fourth quarter. 

The Seahawks answered with a marker at 6:23 in the fourth before Mahmud responded on an 8-meter tally with 3:05 on the clock. Wagner had one last gasp and made it a one-goal game again with 2:06 remaining. Mahmud then got the ensuing draw control at 1:49 on the clock, and the Red Flash took a shot clock violation with 27 seconds left. Wagner could not get the ball past midfield before time expired to secure the Red Flash's first road win of the year.

FLASH QUOTES
"We played a great game today. It's the type of signature win that proves we can compete with the best teams in the NEC. The players fought hard and were locked in for 60. Down the stretch, I felt confident we would win because of how focused the team was in the huddle. Our composure at the end of the game gave us the edge. To be up by one and hold the ball for two minutes while playing man down the entire time is unbelievable. We played with the confidence of a champion. Elizabeth and Bella Fisher were unbelievable today. Elizabeth scored the game winner and won a critical draw control after Wagner's 7th goal. If we are serious about winning, we need different people to step up at different times. Bella and Elizabeth stepped up in a huge way today." - head coach Tracy Coyne on the win

FLASH MOMENTS
Fisher got Saint Francis on the scoreboard off an assist from Julia Givens (Elverson, Pa.) 56 seconds into the match. Fisher then found the back of the net to end the scoring in the first quarter unassisted at 4:29. 

Mahmud notched her first goal of the afternoon at 12:30 before Fisher returned the favor to Givens at 10:10 to even the match at 4. Fisher handed the Loretto program a 5-4 edge going into the break unassisted at 3:20. The sophomore scored twice in the second half, and Mahmud recorded her second tally of the day to help push the Red Flash to the victory.

FLASH NUGGETS
Fisher notched her second five-goal performance this season and the sixth of her career. The 2023 NEC Rookie of the Year leads the team with 24 goals and nine assists for 33 points and has posted at least two goals in seven straight games.

Mahmud registered her first two-goal performance for Saint Francis after picking up her first career goal and assist last week at DeGol Arena. The freshman came into the game with five draw controls before grabbing a career-high two draws on Saturday.

Givens added a goal and an assist for her third straight game with at least two points and her seventh in eight games this season. 

Coughlin gave up four goals in the first 12 minutes and 46 seconds but then allowed three Wagner goals the rest of the way with four saves in that span. Along with Coughlin, the Saint Francis defense allowed 11 shots in the first quarter and then only faced 11 in the final 45 minutes and seven on goal.

Victoria DiRenno (Suffern, N.Y.) registered a career-high six draw controls, a ground ball, and a caused turnover to pace the defense in her return to her home state.

Saint Francis improves to 2-1 in league play for the third time in program history, joining the 2010 and 2021 teams. In addition, the Red Flash ended a seven-game losing streak to Wagner and earned its second win in Staten Island.

It was the 15th time under head coach Tracy Coyne that the team did not give up 10 goals in a game, and the 12th times, it only allowed seven goals or less in a match under the fifth-year head coach. Last season, the Red Flash held five opponents to single digits.
 
NEXT UP
Saint Francis returns to action on March 30 at FDU. Match time is 1 p.m.