ERIE, Pa. — Saint Francis University split their two matches on the opening day at the Mercyhurst University Invitational by defeating Grove City College, 14-5, and falling to the Virginia Military Institute, 17-11.
Kelly Fehr (Erie, Pa/Villa Maria Academy) scored four goals in each match, while Emily Wickenheiser (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) led SFU with 10 points including seven goals. Melani Aghazarian (Glendale, Calif./Glendale (La Valley College)) had six assists in the two matches with goalie Kate Wilke (Burbank, Calif./Burroughs) recording a combined 18 saves.
Against Grove City, Fehr led the Flash in the morning match, stuffing the stat sheet with four goals and two assists with a team-high six steals. It was a balanced offensive effort against the Wolverines, with six players recording at least three points in the match.
Fehr and Argentina Bonilla (Los Angeles, Calif./Birmingham (LA Valley College)) each scored twice to get the Red Flash off to a quick start as they made it 4-0 in the first quarter. A Missy McCreary (Altadena, Calif./LaSalle (Citrus College)) goal made it 5-0 before Grove City struck for two quick tallies at the end of the quarter. Kelsey Gring (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) tallied a goal to close out the first quarter scoring as SFU led 6-2 after one.
Fehr made it a hat trick early in the second, scoring off a McCreary feed to make it 7-2. Again the Wolverines would try to rally back, scoring twice to cut the lead to three. That is as close as it would get as Fehr fed Bonilla for her third of the game before adding her fourth of the half later in the quarter. SFU would take a 9-4 lead into the break.
The Flash defense would take over in the second half, holding the Wolverines to just one second-half score. Aghazarian paced the offense in the quarter, feeding Wickenheiser for a pair of goals before scoring one of her own. The Flash would force five turnovers in the quarter and Wilke made a pair of her seven saves in the frame as the Red Flash opened up a 12-4 lead. Grove City would score early in the fourth but the Flash put the clamps on the Wolverine offense. SFU forced six more turnovers, while Krysta Ponek (Panama City Beach, Fla./Arnold (Utica College)) and Gring scored to put the match away. The Red Flash out shot Grove City 32-17 in the match and recorded 26 steals in the win.
Facing VMI, Wickenheiser’s five goals and Fehr’s four markers paced the Red Flash offense in a 17-11 setback.
VMI had six players score at least two goals and outshot the Red Flash 35-30.
The teams traded turnovers early in the first quarter before Wilke made a key early save to give SFU possession. Wickenheiser scored the first of her five goals in the match, taking a Bonilla feed and powering it home for the early lead. Wilke stood tall again on the ensuing VMI possession, making a key save that led to a second Flash goal. Bonilla scored her fourth goal of the day and gave SFU the early lead. The Keydets would battle back, tying the match at three after Wickenheiser’s second of the match put SFU up 3-1. The teams would trade goals late in the quarter and the game was deadlocked at 4-4 after the first eight minutes.
VMI drew a pair of exclusions on the Red Flash to start the second and scored off the advantage both times to go ahead 6-4. Fehr then hit the post on SFU’s ensuing possession and VMI converted on the counter attack to build a three-goal lead. The goalies would shine in the second quarter with Wilke and Catie Berry each making key saves. VMI would make it 8-4 before Wickenheiser struck again late, sending the game to the half with VMI leading 8-5.
Wilke would stonewall a trio of VMI shots to start the third and Fehr rang her second post of the night as the match stayed 8-5 VMI. Fehr would answer a VMI tally with one of her own to make it 9-6 but the Red Flash had to settle for trading goals with the Keydets throughout the quarter. Ferh and Wickenheiser would score to bring the Red Flash within two at 10-8 and 11-9 but VMI closed with a flourish. The Keydets struck for three goals late to open a five-goal lead heading into the fourth.
The Red Flash would get no closer than five the rest of the way, as VMI scored the first two goals of the quarter to put the match out of reach. In addition to her five goals Wickenheiser drew a team-high six exclusions and had three steals.
Release courtesy Saint Francis University Athletics Communications
