ONEONTA, N.Y. — Saint Francis University could not muster enough firepower to stop host/No. 13-ranked Hartwick College in a 24-18 loss, but was able to command Siena College, 14-11, and Utica College, 10-2, to record a 2-1 mark at the 2018 Hartwick Invitaitonal.
Marialena Seletopoulou (Glyfada, Athens, Greece/Yannopoulos School) led the way for the Red Flash as she posted 13 goals in games versus Hartwick and Siena.
The first period against Hartwick was a barn burner that turned the pool into a hot tub of scoring. Hartwick jumped out to a 4-0 start but the Red Flash battled back as Seletopoulou, Kelly Fehr (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), Erin O’Neill (Landsdale, Pa./North Penn) and Missy McCreary (Altadena, Calif./LaSalle (Citrus College)) led the charge to narrow the margin to 6-5.
The Hawks dominated the second period holding the Red Flash to a single goal by Kelsey Gring (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) as Hartwick extended its lead to 11-6.
In the third quarter, goals by Seletopoulou and Lani Merrill (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente (Saddleback College)) placed Saint Francis within four points, but another Hartwick scoring run put the deficit at 17-10.
The final quarter saw 15 combined goals scored as both teams shot like Hawkeye from The Last of the Mohicans.
Seletopoulou’s four goals were not enough to turn the tide as the closest the Red Flash lurked was 20-16 but a final Hartwick run put the game away at 24-18.
In game two against Siena, Saint Francis was reunited with its familiar Franciscan foe for the third time this season. The Red Flash won the previous two battles and the first quarter served notice that the trend would continue as Saint Francis jumped out to a 5-1 advantage thanks to Fehr and Seletopoulou.
The second period saw more of the same as Julia Kreidinger (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) got into the action with two goals to push the midterm lead to 9-4.
Fehr and Seletopoulou renewed their partnership in the third period to keep the Saints at bay with a goal each as the score became 11-7.
Siena repeatedly cut the deficit to a pair of markers in the final quarter. Twice, Missy McCreary (Altadena, Calif./LaSalle (Citrus College)) answered the Saints’ defiance with a goal to seal the win at 14-11.
In the nightcap against Utica, the reserves were given the opportunity to shine as Kreidinger and Gabrielle Garritson (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) each scored to post a 2-0 lead.
The second quarter proved to be a defensive struggle as only Utica posted a goal. However, the Red Flash put the game away in the third quarter as Kreidinger, Garritson, Krysta Ponek (Panama City Beach, Fla./Arnold (Utica College)) and Camillie Nguyen (Mason, Ohio/Mason) all scored to make it 7-1.
Kaitlyn Nguyen (Annandale, Va,/Bishop Ireton) and Shelby Sanko (McAdoo, Pa./Hazelton Area) were among the scorers in the fourth period as the Red Flash polished off a 10-2 victory.
Release courtesy Saint Francis University Athletics Communications
