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ERIE, Pa. —  The Red Flash of Saint Francis University knocked off Mercyhurst University, 10-4, and Gannon University, 8-6, on the road at the David M. Hallman III Aquatics Center behind a seven-goal performance by sophomore Taylor Halbauer. Seven different Red Flash recorded goals in the two matchups.

Facing Mercyhurst, SFU took the early lead with three straight goals, two from sophomore Abbie Carter and one from Halbauer.

Mercyhurst got on the board with 13 seconds left in the first quarter to cut the lead to two at 3-1 entering the second quarter. 

Thirty seconds into the new frame, Halbauer punched in her second goal of the game to make it 4-1. Under a minute later, she added another to increase the lead 5-1 with 6:50 left to play before halftime.

Mercyhurst rallied back with a pair, but not before Carter found the back of the net once more to make it 6-3 SFU.

Junior Julia Bradford notched her first goal of the day to increase SFU’s lead 7-3 with just four seconds before the halftime horn.

The third quarter was a defensive slog as neither team was able to secure any goals. The Red Flash kept the Lakers off the board thank to three saves by goalie/uunior Rosalinda Rivera.

Following a Mercyhurst strike 12 seconds into the fourth quarter to close the gap to 7-4, the Red Flash answered back with three straight goals. Halbauer found the back of the net twice and sophomore Addison Williams recorded her first on the day to secure the win.

Halbauer was the Red Flash’s leading scorer with five against the Lakers. Carter also netted a hat-trick with three goals, while Williams and Bradford both contributed solo markers.

Bradford led the team in assists with four to go along with a pair by sophomore Haiden Lang. Carter and Halbauer each notched one as well.

Halbauer accounted for four steals in the win to lead the Red Flash.  Lang and freshman Emese Szucs each tallied two.

A key to the game was Saint Francis’ ability to keep the Lakers’ short of man-up chances as the Red Flash committed no exclusions in the win.  Halbauer and Bradford each drew an exclusion on offense as SFU converted on both opportunities.

In cage, Rivera picked up the win with 11 saves.

Battling Gannon, the Red Flash struck first from via a tally by Szucs with 5:37 left to play in the first quarter. 

Gannon tied it up with less than three minutes left to play prior to both teams’ offense going cold to keep the score at one-all heading into the second quarter.

The Golden Knights struck again, but not before two SFU goals from sophomore Madeleine Voss and Williams give SFU a 3-2 lead.

Gannon found the back of the net to tie the game, but Halbauer returned the lead to SFU at 4-3 with 35 seconds left before halftime.

Following a scoreless third quarter, the Red Flash and the Knights went goal for goal over the final eight minutes of action.

Gannon squared the score at four-all, but Halbauer answered with her seventh goal of the day to make it 5-4 in favor of Saint Francis with 6:43 left in regulation.

The Golden Knights and Red Flash each ticked off tallies to tie (5-5) the game and return the lead to SFU (6-5).

Another Gannon shot find the back of the net before Bradford pumped in a point to put the Red Flash back on top, 7-6.

Lang iced the win by depositing her inaugural goal of the day to push the margin to 8-6 and lock-up victory for Saint Francis.

Halbauer was once again the leading scorer for SFU with two, while Lang, Williams, Szucs, Bradford and Voss all notched solo tallies.

Carter had the most assists for the Red Flash with three. Szucs and Williams each helped for an assist each.

Bradford tallied two of SFU’s six total steals. Lang, Halbauer, Williams, and Rivera all recorded one steal each.

Rivera claimed her second win of the day as she recorded 13 saves.

Information courtesy Saint Francis University Athletics Communications

Collegiate Water Polo Association