WASHINGTON, D.C. — Howard's offense finally broke through in the second half, overwhelming Saint Francis with five unanswered goals to secure a dominant 5-0 victory Thursday night. The Bison controlled much of the first 45 minutes without finding the back of the net, but once Alauna Rutland opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, the floodgates opened. Howard's relentless attacking proved too much for the Red Flash, who managed just two shots on goal throughout the match.
The breakthrough came when Rutland finished low to the left in the 63rd minute, assisted by Gabriella Garcia-Terrell. Just three minutes later, Garcia-Terrell added her own goal, striking from the left side to make it 2-0. The momentum shift was complete. Mia Young extended the lead to 3-0 from a free kick in the 71st minute, firing a right-footed strike into the upper right corner. Rachel Suttle headed in a corner in the 85th minute with assists from Young and Leah Williams, and Saliyah Brady capped the rout with a left-footed finish in the 87th minute, set up by Demi Owens and Jaileen De Freitas.
The first half told a different story. Despite dominating possession and territory, Howard struggled to convert its chances. Imani Kissi, Gabriella Garcia-Terrell, and others fired multiple attempts that sailed high or wide. Saint Francis goalkeeper Emma Sawich made a crucial save on a low shot from Cheyenne Lam in the 54th minute, keeping the match scoreless well into the second period. The Red Flash's defense held firm through 45 minutes, though they offered little going forward offensively.
Saint Francis's offensive struggles were evident from the opening whistle. Lucia Johnson's early attempt in the seventh minute sailed high, and the Red Flash managed just four total shot attempts for the entire match. Their defensive shape gradually deteriorated as Howard's pressure mounted, particularly after the interval when the Bison made wholesale substitutions and brought fresh legs into the attack. Trinity Knox made two saves for Howard in the second half, but the Bison's defense was rarely tested.
Howard's attacking prowess was on full display in the statistics. The Bison fired 26 shots with 12 finding the target, while Saint Francis managed just four attempts with two on goal. The home side also dominated the corner count, earning seven compared to Saint Francis's three. Emma Sawich made seven saves for the Red Flash, working overtime to keep the deficit from growing even larger.
Garcia-Terrell emerged as a standout performer for Howard, scoring once and assisting on Rutland's opening goal. Young provided crucial contributions both defensively and offensively, finishing with a goal and two assists. Rutland's clinical finishing proved the difference once the dam broke, converting her opportunity with precision to ignite the second-half surge.
The result extends Howard's winning streak to two matches following a loss to Chicago State on October 19. The Bison improved to 9-5-3 overall with the dominant home performance. For Saint Francis, the loss represents their third consecutive defeat and drops their record to an NCAA Division I-worst 0-13-4. The Red Flash have now conceded 39 goals while scoring just 13 this season, a troubling trend that continued Thursday night.
Howard returns to action Sunday at Fairleigh Dickinson, looking to maintain momentum against another MEAC opponent. Saint Francis travels to face Le Moyne on Sunday afternoon, seeking their first victory of the season in what has become a rebuilding year for the program.