After Stonehill tied the game at one off a penalty corner, the game did not stay at a standstill for long after Zavaleta rocketed a shot into the cage 93 seconds after the Skyhawks tied the game to give the Red Flash a 2-1 lead with three minutes remaining. Stonehill did not register another scoring opportunity in the contest.
"We have been working, communicating, and becoming one in the back, which has been key to this defensive stretch. In the game today, the last half was tough, but we worked together, and everyone was talking. Mia has been great back there and has saved us a bunch of times." – Junior
"I am more aware of everything and bringing the team together and trying to figure out when things go wrong on the field how to fix it." – Waldspurger on her role as a captain Â
FLASH MOMENTS
Reed started the scoring on a rainy afternoon with her first goal of the season at the 9:30 mark in the first quarter for an early 1-0 lead.
FLASH NUGGETS
Zavaleta ranks second on the team with three goals and three assists for nine points, and she has at least one point in five of the six wins. She now has seven game-winners, nine goals, and 15 assists for 33 points. She can move into the top 10 in points with six more points. 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
Reed registered her second career tally after hitting the cage for the first time in her career against Villanova on September 17, 2023. She also had her first career assists against Mercyhurst earlier this year to tally two goals and an assist in her career.
DiGenova has allowed a goal four times and did not allow the opponent to score three times this season. The five saves are the fourth most in a game this season, and she leads the NEC in both saves percentage (.833) and goals against average (1.43).
Saint Francis is now 7-9 in NEC home openers and 12-11 in home openers, including its time in the Atlantic 10. The Red Flash has won five of its last six home openers. In addition, the squad is 2-0 for the fourth time in the NEC (2007, 2012, 2023, 2024) and 2-0 to start a league for the sixth time, counting the 2-0 starts in 2014 and 2017 as a member of the A10.
Saint Francis is off to its second-best start in program history at 6-3, with only the 2014's 8-1 start, a better nine-game start to a season.
Head coach
Mackenzie Allessie joins her predecessor Maria Bettiana Ceretta as the only coach in program history to win her first career game as a head coach, first home game, first league game, and first circuit home game. Zavaleta has posted the game-winner in three of those games, while
Madison Waldspurger holds the other game-winner in those milestones.
UP NEXT
The Red Flash returns to action at Sacred Heart one week from today on Friday, October 4. Game time is 1 p.m.
