WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Coming off three-straight wins at DeGol Arena, Saint Francis could not sustain the momentum on the road, falling 63-56 at LIU in Northeast Conference women's basketball action on Thursday. 
>> Ineivi Plata placed the Red Flash with a career-high 14 points. The freshman registered six rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
>> Natalie Johnson added 13 points off the bench. 

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
LIU grabbed the lead from the jump, but after Johnson trimmed the margin to 8-7 with 5:22 left in the first quarter, the Sharks closed the frame on a 13-7 run and then ended the second quarter with a 14-5 run to take a 41-24 lead going into the locker room. After a Red Flash 15-5 run to start the third quarter to trim the margin to seven points, the Sharks thwarted the run by finishing the third quarter with six unanswered points. 

Saint Francis cut the lead to seven points four times in the fourth quarter on Harris Robinson's triple with 4:18 left before Johnson had a pair of baskets at 2:28 and with 57 seconds left, and Marina Artero scored in the lane with 21 seconds left but could get no closer.

FLASH MOMENTS
The Red Flash registered back-to-back baskets by Yanessa Boyd and Johnson and then had a 5-0 run in the first quarter thanks to Giselle Eke making two free throws and Airah Lavy drilling a 3-pointer.

Saint Francis recorded five unanswered points in the second quarter after Lavy hit a triple and Boyd nailed a jumper.

Fueled by a pair of 3's by Plata, the Red Flash went on a 15-5 run to start the third quarter to trim the margin to 44-37 with 4:01 left in the frame. 

In the fourth quarter, the Loretto program went on a 7-0 run thanks to buckets by Artero and Boyd and a 3-ball from Robinson. 

FLASH NUGGETS
Plata, who finished 5-for-6 from the floor, 3 of 4 from behind the arc, and made her only free throw, registered her second straight 10+ point game and increased her career high by one point after scoring 13 points against Wagner on Monday at DeGol Arena. She also stuffed the stat sheet for the second consecutive game after adding five or more rebounds and three assists in each game. The freshman has dished out three assists or more in each of her last five games and 12 times this season, while she has posted at least five rebounds six times on the year.

Johnson continues to find success on the road with her third straight game away from Loretto in double figures and six of her seven games with 10+ points on the road. She is averaging 15.3 points in three NEC games on the road this season. 

Artero finished the game with six points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while Boyd tallied seven points, five rebounds, and three assists. The six points were a season-high for Artero, while she grabbed at least five boards eight times in 2024-25. Boyd has five caroms four times this season. The sophomore captain has dished out three assists seven times this season and five times in her last seven tilts.

The Red Flash played its first road game since January 4 at Stonehill. The squad went 3-1 in the four-game homestand, and the three-game winning streak was the longest since winning five-straight in 2021-22 in league play.

NEXT UP FOR FLASH
Saint Francis returns to action on Saturday at Wagner. Game time is 4 p.m.