Zavaleta drove from the far side of the field, starting around the 20-yard paint mark on the field, and went left just inside the 10-yard line and made a backhand shot into the cage for the only score on the afternoon.
 "I think it was awesome to be on our home turf, and not only did they win, but they played super well all throughout. I think that was a perfect confidence boost for them."
– head coach Mackenzie Allessie on the win
"It shows all the hard work the girls have been putting in since day one of preseason. And we there's been a lot of change for them, and they keep growing and growing and growing and handling it so well, and they want to strive to be better every day, which is awesome."
– Allessie on winning first home gameÂ
"Coach told me that they leave that space open, so I did what she told me and took a shot,"
– senior Dolores Zavaleta on the game-winner
"We are a really young team, and we have been working hard, but I think we can be successful this season."
– Zavaleta on the season
FLASH MOMENTS
The closing minutes were dramatic for the Red Flash faithful after the defense allowed three penalty corner opportunities in the final six minutes of the match. The Hoyas fired off two shots off those corners, including one in the game's waning seconds, but the defense blocked both shots.
FLASH NUGGETS
Zavaleta and
Consu de Castro have accounted for all five goals this season. Zavaleta is second on the squad with two tallies and one assist for five points, while de Castro has three markers for six points.
Zavaleta now has eight goals and 13 assists for 29 points in her career with six game-winners, including both decisive scores in 2024. It is the third time in four meetings with Georgetown the senior has posted the go-ahead goal against the Hoyas. In her freshman campaign, she had a game-winning penalty stroke score, and last season, she gave the Red Flash the lead for good in the third quarter. Both of those matches were on the road. She has recorded three of her game-winners at home in her career.
DiGenova did not allow a goal in 15 minutes in her collegiate debut against Queens on August 25, 2023, and in 30 minutes of action against Merrimack on October 20, 2023, but Sunday against the Hoyas marked the first time she played 60 minutes, and did not allow a goal in her career.
Allessie, who won her first career game as a head coach with a 3-2 double-overtime thriller at Ball State on August 30, won her inaugural match at home to join only her predecessor, Maria Bettiana Ceretta, as the only two coaches to win their first game overall and also their first home contest as a Red Flash field hockey head coach. Ceretta defeated Central Michigan in her first game as a head coach in Loretto on August 25, 2017.
The Red Flash has won six of the last 10 meetings in the series against Georgetown with all six goals being a one-goal decision. Saint Francis improved to 9-14 all-time in home openers, but are 9-5 in the first game in Loretto since 2011. In addition, the Flash start the season 2-2 for the fourth time in program history, joining the 2013, 2017 and 2018 teams.
UP NEXT
Saint Francis continues its homestand with a non-conference match against Mercyhurst on Friday. Game time is 4 p.m. The Lakers are in their first year as a member of the NEC, but the two teams will meet in Erie on September 15 for the conference meeting.Â
