ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Red Flash of Saint Francis University came out on top against the University of California-Merced, 15-3, and Toronto Golden Jets, 11-8, to conclude competition at the 2024 Michigan Invitational hosted by the University of Michigan.
The Red Flash notched five goals in the opening quarter against the Bobcats. Sarah Hartwell (Grand Blanc, Mich.) began the scoring, finding the net with 6:46 left in the quarter. Olay then found the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. UC Merced responded, but a goal from Emese Szucs (Budapest, Hungary) kept the Red Flash in front. Adi Garges (Perkasie, Pa.) tallied a goal with Szucs scoring another to take a 5-1 lead.
In the second quarter against UC-Merced, Saint Francis scored five unanswered goals. Szucs completed her hat trick early in the quarter, with Sam Eschleman (Reading, Pa.) scoring 23 seconds later. Hartwell then scored her second of the game. On a man-up opportunity, Eschleman tallied her second goal. Just over halfway through the quarter, Szucs earned her fourth goal of the game. Garges then scored her second, widening the lead to 11-2. With 1:17 remaining, Lucy Willis (Ft. Thomas, Ky.) found the back of the net. To close out scoring in the first half, Emma Allamian (St. Charles, Ill.) scored for a 13-2 lead.
Saint Francis led 13-2 at the end of the first half against UC-Merced. The Red Flash did not score in the third quarter, but the defense was able to hold the Bobcats to one goal, with Grace Raquel (Naperville, Ill.) making five saves in the quarter. In the fourth quarter, Lexanny Gonzalez (Sinking Spring, Pa.) and Georgia Ellison (Canberra, Australia) each tallied a goal to lock up the win.
Saint Francis’s aggressive offense continued in the first quarter against Toronto, tallying six goals. Olay notched the first goal just 11 seconds into the game. After a goal by the Golden Jets, Szucs tallied her first of the game and fifth of the day. Toronto evened the score, but another goal by Szucs regained the lead. The Red Flash scored three unanswered goals with one by Hartwell and two by Szucs. With less than a minute to go, Toronto scored on a penalty shot, but Saint Francis was still in the lead at 6-3.
Up 10-5, Szucs scored the final goal for Saint Francis on a power play with 1:14 in the third quarter. The Red Flash defense had to stop Toronto’s scoring efforts in the final quarter, holding the Golden Jets to three goals.
Szucs reached double digits in goals, scoring four against the Bobcats and six against the Golden Jets. Olay and Willis were behind her with a combined three goals on the day.
Kayla Rhoads (Oceanside, Calif.) earned a combined six assists to lead the Red Flash.
Defensively, Szucs led in steals with three steals. Raquel made 11 saves against UC-Merced and recorded three additional saves in the fourth quarter of the game against Toronto. Isabel Lumley (Brisbane, Australia) tallied nine saves in the first three quarters against the Golden Jets.
Information courtesy Saint Francis University Athletics Communications
