Field Hockey | 11/5/2025 3:39:00 PM

OPENING STICK VS WAGNER 
This upcoming match between Wagner and Saint Francis marks their second matchup of the season. Overall, this is their sixth encounter since the series began back in 2021. Currently, the Seahawks lead the series with three victories.
THE WORD ON THE SEAHAWKS    
Wagner College finished its 2025 regular season campaign with an overall record of 7-11, good enough for the third seed in the NEC playoffs. Coached by Aubrey Mytych, the Seahawks are led by their leading scorer, Floortje Leunisse, who leads the team in both goals and assists for a total of 22 points on the season. In the Cage, Wagner is defended by sophomore goalkeeper Saar van Dalen, who carries a record of 7-10 on the season with three shutouts.
THE LAST TIME WE FACED WAGNER
Our previous encounter with Wagner was earlier this season, in a match where the Red Flash defeated the Seahawks 3-0. During that Friday NEC game, senior goalkeeper Mia DiGenova earned her fourth consecutive shutout at that time. The talented Sofia Marciano also made a significant impact, scoring two goals—one in each half. 
NEXT TIME OUT
The winner of this game will progress to the NEC final, scheduled for Saturday, November 8th, at 12:00 p.m., where they will compete against either Fairfield or Rider. 
FORT DIGENOVA 
Junior goalkeeper Mia DiGenova was the Keystone of the Red Flash field hockey team, helping them achieve a 14-4 record while allowing only 25 goals in 18 games, resulting in a 1.38 goals against average (23rd in the nation) and a .757 save percentage (21st in the nation), which places her among the nation's best programs and netminders that world of college field hockey has to offer. Since the start of the season, the Saint Francis netminder has become a nearly impenetrable fortress, surrounded by a caltrop-like defense that made it almost impossible for the opposing team to score. This was made evident when DiGenova and Co. achieved 290 consecutive shutout minutes, spanning six games. The streak began with 1:27 left in its game against LIU on September 19. After shutouts against Saint Louis (September 21), Stonehill (September 26), Merrimack (September 28), and Wagner (October 3), the streak ended 48:34 into the game on Sunday against Lock Haven. However, that was only the start of the season's highlights. On October 19th, after playing against NEC Rival Mercyhurst, she reached a historic milestone by recording her ninth shutout of the season, surpassing the previous program record for most shutouts in a single season. The very next game, she broke Samantha Zeiders' 2014 record for most wins by a goalkeeper in a season, achieving 14 victories.
SOFIA "ROCKY" MARCIANO 
Sophomore midfielder Sofia Marciano was one of the most dangerous offensive players on the field this season for the Red Flash. Overall, she finished the 2025 season with 19 goals and two assists,  ranking 11th in Division I in goals per game and 17th in points per game. Her offensive skills were especially on display on September 28, when she set a program record by netting six goals in a 7-0 victory over Merrimack. This achievement was the second-highest single-game goal total in NCAA history. Additionally, with her three goals on Sunday, October 15th, against Mercyhurst, Marciano now holds the second-most points (40) and goals (19) in a single season in program history.
FRANKIE'S LITTLE HELPER  
Sophomore midfielder Cruz Cánepa has been one of the team's most underrated contributors on the field. Although she has scored only one tally this season, her influence extends beyond scoring. Since the start of the season, Cánepa has served as the playmaker, driving the Red Flash's quick offense by setting up key passes for the top scorers to quickly gain an advantage. She currently leads the team with 17 assists, ranking seventh nationally in assists per game. Additionally, she holds the program's single-season record for most assists and is now fourth all-time in career assists.
"WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER TROPHY CASE" 
Although many records were broken this season, it was also characterized by numerous conference awards and recognitions. Overall, the Red Flash received 24 nominations from the NEC for awards such as Offensive Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week, Prime Performer, and Rookie of the Week. Mia DiGenova earned the most awards, finishing the season with eight Prime Performer honors and four Offensive Player of the Week awards. The runner-up was Soifa Marciano, with two Offensive Player of the Week awards and five Prime Performer honors. 
IN THE NATION 
Given their successful season, it's no surprise that the Red Flash were consistently ranked among the nation's top Division I programs. As of the conclusion of the 2025 campaign last Sunday,  Saint Francis is currently 54th  in the ratings percentage index for all Division I field hockey, making it the second-highest in the NEC after Fairfield. They also rank 15th nationally in scoring average, 25th in assists per game, and 19th in points per game, among other categories. With all that being said, the Red Flash finished the season in the top ten in winning percentage, capping off the 2025 campaign with a .778, which was the best in the NEC.
NEW TO THE 'LO
Second-year head coach Mackenzie Allessie added sophomore transfers Julia Barto (Indiana [Pa.]), Avery Bradburn (Richmond), Addie Sholly (Lehigh) along with freshmen Hailee Adams, Piper Almy, Delaney Amole, Ryan Engleman, Gianna Lambert, Morgan Smeltz to the 2025 roster. Haley Conners is not new to the 'Lo, but she is trading in her playing shoes for coaching ones as the field hockey graduate assistant.
TOO MANY ANTHEMS TO PLAY
Along with 19 players from the United States, head coach Mackenzie Allessie has two players from Argentina (Sofia Marciano, Josefina Sayal Aguirre), a player from Canada (Brooklyn Widdess), and one from Spain (Cruz Cánepa) for the 2025 season.
ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach Mackenzie Allessie is in her second season in Loretto after leading the team to a 10-8 overall record and 5-3 mark in league play. As a player, Allessie tallied 61 goals and 45 assists for 167 points in two seasons at Ohio State and three at Penn State. A five-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American and five-time NFHCA All-Region first-team selection, she helped the Nittany Lions to the NCAA national semifinals for the first time since 2007 and a share of the Big Ten Championship in 2022. Allessie, named to the All-Big Ten first team in all five seasons, was named the Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year during the 2021 spring season after posting 15 goals and five assists in 16 games for Ohio State. Allessie helped the United States win the bronze medal in the Pan American games in 2019 in Chile after becoming the youngest player named to the United States National Team in 2018. She registered the most goals scored by a member of Team USA during those 2019 games. She was also named to the United States National Team in 2022.