Women's Soccer | 8/6/2025 9:21:00 AM

The Saint Francis women's soccer team is taking the preseason outside of Loretto this year with a 10-day training trip to Argentina. The Red Flash departed for South America on Tuesday and will play two exhibition games during its time in Argentina to help prepare for the 2025 campaign. The fully fundraised trip was made possible by the generous support of Red Flash benefactors, and the team is deeply grateful for the opportunity.

"We are beyond excited about our trip to Argentina," said head coach Brian Diaz. "Only one of our players has ever been to South America, and none have been to Argentina. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these young ladies. We will have the opportunity to play against two of the biggest clubs in Argentina. These matches will serve to prepare us for the rigors of our regular season."

Senor team captain Emma Sawich has never traveled out of the country, while fellow senior team captain Lauren Persichetty has been to Bermuda, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Cancun. 

"I'm excited to travel out of the country for the first time and to experience the culture and environment of Argentina with my teammates," said Sawich. These are a great group of girls who will only enhance the overall experience. On the soccer side, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play against the different soccer styles of international competition."

"I am looking forward to getting more time to bond with my team and experience watching a professional match in Argentina," said Persichetty, who returns after missing last season due to an injury. "I want to have fun, and I want the girls to have fun and make the most out of this experience. I don't want anyone to be nervous, because this is a great opportunity, and everyone is excited to play a real game finally."

While the trip will be an overall experience, the goal of this trip is to prepare for the regular season opener at Maryland on August 17, and Northeast Conference (NEC) play, which begins on September 21 at Stonehill.

"I think this trip will help us connect more, because we are going to be spending a lot of time together," said Persichetty, the 2023 NEC Defensive Player of the Year. "Hopefully, this will translate to great chemistry on the field!"

"This trip will be important for our development as a relatively new team. These experiences will not only strengthen our chemistry on the field, but off the field," said Sawich, who led the NEC in save percentage in 2024. "We want to test and refine our tactical play while having fun during this unique opportunity. I expect us to take what we learn from these exhibition games and use it to keep building for the season ahead."

It is not the first time Diaz has taken one of his teams to Argentina, and the bigger life picture is not lost on him with this experience.

"Besides finishing out our preseason preparations, we will be able to immerse ourselves in the culture of Argentina fully," said the second-year head coach. "There is no doubt our ladies will return with a refreshed view of the world. We want to introduce our team to new experiences that can't be found in the United States. The college years are a journey of growth and self-discovery; this trip will only enhance their college experience."

Saint Francis will play an exhibition game on Thursday at 8 am in Argentina against Boca Juniors at 8 a.m. and against Racing on August 12 at 6 p.m. To follow along with the Red Flash's 10-day trip to Argentina, follow the team on its instagram page @redflashwsoc.