Loretta, Pa. – Taylor Coughlin recorded 18 saves to lead Saint Francis University to an 8-6 victory over the Le Moyne College women's lacrosse team in Northeast Conference action on Wednesday afternoon at DeGol Field.

"Unfortunately for us, the SFU goalie was seeing the ball really well today," said head coach Liz Beville. "She did a good job stopping any momentum we tried to start. I do want to acknowledge Lilly Locastro's performance of seven ground balls and six caused turnovers. Those are outstanding stats. She was a big reason it was only a two-goal loss today."

Saint Francis, which jumped the Dolphins in the NEC standings, scored all five of the first quarter's goals, with the first three coming in a span of just 95 seconds. Bella Fisher, a two-time NEC Player of the Week, got the scoring started at the 13:39 mark by converting a free-position shot for her 29th goal of the season. Only 42 seconds later, Danielle Hernandez scored her ninth goal of the year off a pass from Brooke Lacey, the reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Week, who followed 53 seconds later with her 12th marker of the season. Just over three minutes later, Julia Givens netted her 19th goal of the campaign off another feed from Lacey to force a Le Moyne timeout. Victoria DiRenno completed the quarter's scoring with 3:59 left with her first tally of the year after collecting a pass from Hernandez.

Coughlin kept the Dolphins off the scoreboard with four saves in the quarter.

Le Moyne responded in the second quarter with all four of the stanza's goals. Senior attacker Reilly Geer (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) started the scoring just 1:01 into the period after receiving a pass from junior attacker Reagan McQuade (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell). Senior midfielder Rhonee Shea Pal (Canastota, N.Y./Bishop Grimes) cut the deficit to 5-2 with 12:13 left by converting a free-position shot. Sophomore midfielder Sara Hunter (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) tallied her sixth goal of the season with 9:08 left after taking a pass from senior attacker Sarah Hutchings (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus). Pal capped the scoring in the quarter with her 15th goal of the campaign with 49 seconds remaining.

Following five and one-half minutes of scoreless play to start the third quarter, Pal tallied her third goal of the game to knot the score at five apiece.

The Red Flash took advantage of a failed clear by the Dolphins during a player-down situation to regain the lead. After scooping up a loose ball, Hernandez sent a pass to Nancy Alden, who fired in her 11th goal of the season with 7:17 remaining in the quarter, snapping a drought of 26:42 by Saint Francis without a goal. Just 51 seconds later, Givens doubled her team's lead with her 20th goal of the year after collecting a pass from Fisher.

Alden pushed the margin to 8-5 just 26 seconds into the fourth quarter.

After being held off the scoreboard for 22:20, Le Moyne cut into its deficit with 2:03 remaining as Hutchings scored off a free-position shot during an extra-player situation.

The Dolphins won the ensuing draw control, but turned the ball over 20 seconds later. They got the ball back one last time with 1:15 remaining and put a shot on goal 11 seconds later, but it was saved by Coughlin – her seventh of the fourth quarter – and the Red Flash were able to run the clock out.

Fifth year goalkeeper Paige Crandall (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) turned away seven shots, including three in the fourth quarter, in the setback. Senior defender Lilly Locastro (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus) tied her career high with seven ground balls and posted a career-best six caused turnovers, which ties Megan Collins '14 (at Saint Michael's on April 12, 2014) and Olivia McEntee '20 (at Bentley on April 20, 2019) for the most in a game in the program's history. With the six caused turnovers, Locastro moved into a three-way tie for sixth on the program's career chart with 79. Coughlin recorded four saves in each of the first three quarters before her seven-save performance in the fourth quarter.
 
Le Moyne (5-6, 4-2 NEC), which has dropped back-to-back conference games for the first time since 2014 and for just the third time over the last 24 seasons, is back in action at home on Saturday against Delaware State University at 11:00 a.m.