Loretto, Pa.- Saint Francis women's soccer played Iona to a scoreless draw in their home opener on Sunday. 
 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 

>> Emma Sawich recorded her first clean sheet of the season and made three saves in the match. 

>> Saint Francis and Iona both finished with nine shots in the contest. 

>> Rita Kendziora led the Red Flash with three shots on the day. 

 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME 

Neither team were able to separate themselves over 90 minutes. 

Saint Francis outshot Iona 4-2 in the first half but were outshot by the Gaels in the second half 7-5.  

The Gaels also had the advantage on corner kicks, outnumbering Saint Francis 9-3 in that category. 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

After an uneventful first 10 minutes, Lauren Pyle found Kendziora with a great through ball. Kendziora nearly put Saint Francis in front, but her shot went just wide. 

Just minutes later, the Red Flash nearly went ahead again after an Alyssa Mella shot was denied by the keeper. Kendziora's follow up chance from the rebound bounced off the crossbar. 

In the 31st minute, Raine Korpics nearly found Mercedez Paino in front goal with a through ball, but Paino could not get to it before the keeper did. 

In the 43rd minute, Tomke Dziesiaty put a decent long ball through for Daniëlle Goedhart that the keeper again got to first. 

The Red Flash came out of the break looking sharp. Bella Pesce sent in a cross that found Kendziora who narrowly missed wide. 

Shortly thereafter, Layla Flores struck a shot that was caught by the keeper.  

In the 49th minute, Sawich denied a point-blank chance from Iona's Payton Foster and corralled the rebound despite a heavy collision. 

In the 54th minute, Saint Francis were given a free kick from a dangerous position. Dziesiaty's ball found Rory Schaeffer in front of goal for a header that was saved by the keeper. 

A few minutes later, Goedhart led the charge on a dangerous counter attack, but her cross into the box sailed out of play. 

In the 63rd minute, the Red Flash had a chance to score on a corner kick, but Goedhart's header went over the crossbar. 

Just moments later, Pyle took a shot towards goal that was hit too high. 

In the 73rd minute, Riley Cerqua made an excellent tackle to halt a dangerous breakaway chance for the Gaels. 
 
A few minutes later, Evangelia Barakos nearly found Maggie Ratchford on a through ball that was just a bit too long. 
 

FLASH FACTS

Flores, Ratchford, Claire Scarpin and Caterina Schiavo each made their first appearances of the season in the match. It was Ratchford and Scarpin's collegiate debuts. 

Barakos made her first collegiate start in the contest. 

The last time Saint Francis avoided defeat in their first two matches of a season was in 2019, when they drew their first match and won their second.  
 

UP NEXT 
The Red Flash will head out to Youngstown, Ohio for a matchup with Youngstown State on Aug. 22 at 6:00 p.m.