Game #16 vs. Saint Francis (NEC)
Info: Thursday, October 17
Syracuse, N.Y. | Ted Grant Field | 3:00 p.m.
Watch: NEC Front Row .... Live Stats: lemoynedolphins.com
Saint Francis Links: Schedule | Roster | News | Stats

Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College women's soccer team is set to host Saint Francis University for a Northeast Conference match on Thursday at Ted Grant Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and the contest will be streamed on NEC Front Row.

Le Moyne and Saint Francis met for the first time in women's soccer during the 2023 season, with the Red Flash claiming a 1-0 win over the Dolphins at SFU's Stokes Soccerplex. 

The Dolphins have added a combined four points in the league standings during their last two NEC matches, recording a 6-0 win against Delaware State at home on October 10, followed by a 1-1 draw at Chicago State on Sunday.

Six different Dolphins scored during the team's home win against DSU. Junior forward Courtney Felton (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield/Roberts Wesleyan) put away her first goal in a Le Moyne shirt, freshman forward Nicole Calle (Providence, RI/Cumberland) and redshirt-freshman defender Logan Cookinham (Poland, N.Y./Poland) both provided season-bests of three points with a goal and an assist each, senior defender Katelyn Courcy (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) and sophomore midfielder Kyla Sustad (Willet, N.Y./Cincinnatus/Merrimack) both registered their first collegiate goals, junior defender Jasmina Barhoumi (Worms, Germany/Nelly-Sachs-IGS/D'Youville) provided two assists in a single game for the second time in her Le Moyne career, and senior midfielder Danielle Casey (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) added four points with a goal and a career-high two assists.

Freshman goalkeeper Mikayla McPheron (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy) recorded a save in 75 minutes played, then fellow rookie keeper Simone Schwarz-Eise (Scottsdale, AZ/Averill Park) held the Hornets scoreless for the final 15 minutes to combine for the team's first shutout of the season.

Coming off the big win at home, the Dolphins flew to Chicago State and found themselves deadlocked in a scoreless tie with the Cougars through 70 minutes of play. Chicago State went ahead in the 72^nd minute, but the Dolphins applied pressure and found the equalizer in the 81^st minute when senior forward Brooke Wilson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton) drew a foul in the CSU penalty area and senior midfielder Gabriella Sylstra (Little Falls, N.Y./Little Falls/Richard Bland/Old Dominion) converted her kick from the spot to record her first goal as a Dolphin.

On the year, Casey is tied for first among all NEC players in assists with four, she is tied for third in goals with four, and is tied for second in points with 12. She is also second in shots with 31.

Scouting the Red Flash:
Saint Francis is led by head coach Brian Diaz, who is in his first season at the helm of the program. SFU finished seventh in the NEC Standings in 2023 with a 3-5-2 conference record.

So far this season the Red Flash hold a 4-7-2 record, including a 2-3 resume in the NEC.

Senior midfielder Lauren Pyle, who was named to the All-NEC Second Team in 2023, leads the Red Flash in points with four goals and one assist through 13 games played.

Along with Pyle, defenders Rory Schaeffer and Joy Zeeman, and goalkeeper Emma Sawich have each logged over 1,000 minutes played this season for Saint Francis.

On the strength of Sawich's NEC-best .805 save percentage, SFU has allowed just 16 goals this season, which is the fewest in the league.

SFU has suffered one-goal defeats in each of their last two conference matches. During a clash with Howard on October 3, the Red Flash went ahead late in the first half with a penalty kick goal scored by Pyle, but the Bison tallied two goals in the second half to claim a 2-1 victory. During Saint Francis' most recent match against FDU on October 10, the Knights scored the lone goal of the contest in the 7^th minute to leave Loretto with a 1-0 win and improve their NEC record to 4-1-1.

Up Next: 
Following Thursday's match against Saint Francis, the Dolphins will visit Wagner on October 24, followed by a home match against Central Connecticut State on October 27. Le Moyne will conclude the regular season at FDU on October 31.