The Game: Saint Anselm hits the road Saturday for a Northeast-10 Conference game at Assumption College, with kickoff slated for 1:00 at Rocheleau Field in Worcester, Mass.

Saint Anselm enters the game winless at 0-2, 0-2 NE-10 after a 28-10 setback at the hands of American International College in the Hawk's home opener last week.

Assumption enters the game with a 1-1 record both overall and in the Northeast-10. The Greyhounds defeated Stonehill last week by a 14-10 score at home after suffering a 34-10 setback at C.W. Post in Week One.

Series History: Saint Anselm leads the all-time series by a 4-0 count. The Hawks are 2-0 both at home and on the road but will be making their second straight trip to Rocheleau Field this season after a convincing 38-13 victory over the Greyhounds in 2002.

The Hawks will be looking for a carbon copy of last year because the win ended a winless stretch (0-4). This year's game will be the third straight time that the Hawks have come to Worcester looking for their first win. In 2000, Saint Anselm came in with an 0-3 record and left with a 21-11 victory; last year the Hawks came in at 0-4, and this year's squad is 0-2.

Inside The Numbers: The numbers have not looked pretty for Saint Anselm so far this season. The Hawks rank last in the Northeast-10 in scoring offense (6.5 ppg), rushing offense (66.5 ypg), total offense (180.5 ypg), 3rd down conversion (13.3 pct.), pass defense (264.5 ypg), and pass efficiency defense (149.9). The team is also wracking up penalty yards. The Hawks, who were among the least penalized teams in the nation last season, are next to last in penalty yards in 2003, with 17 infractions for 76.0 yards per game.

The Hawks have been solid against the run however, ranking third in the league in yards per game at 96.0. They are also tied for second in sacks with seven.

Despite some bad offensive numbers, the team is first in the league in fourth down conversions (60 pct.), red zone offense (100 pct.), and second in time of possession (32:59).

The game could easily turn into a defensive struggle, as the Assumption offense has not gotten into gear yet either. The Greyhounds are next to last in scoring offense (7.0 ppg), passing offense (73.0 ypg), and total offense (195.5 ypg.

Northeast-Nine: Times have changed in the Northeast-10 Conference as they are with one less team at the start of the 2003 season after the University of Massachusetts-Lowell dropped its football program at the conclusion of last season.

As a result, Saint Anselm will play a non-conference game for the first time since the 2000 season in which the Hawks had a pair of non-league games. The Hawks will travel to Division I-AA member Siena College in November. The two last met in that same 2000 season, with the Hawks taking a 20-16 win.

Assumption: The Greyhounds are coming off a roller-coaster 14-10 win over rival Stonehill at home last weekend. In the final quarter, the Assumption defense played denial inside the five-yard line an incredible eight times in the last 2:50, stuffing Stonehill on the one yard line four times.

On offense, senior running back Manny Lokko (Worcester, Mass.) rushed 30 times for a career-high 121 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown run was a 12-yard scamper and his second was a one-yard plunge to cap a 15-play, 93-yard drive that chewed up 8:28 off the clock.

Saint Anselm: The Hawks are coming off a 28-10 home loss to AIC on Saturday. AIC used first half scoring plays of 69, 47, and 45 yards to jump out to a 21-7 halftime edge.

The AIC defensive front overpowered Saint Anselm all afternoon, allowing just 2.5 yards per play with 182 yards of offense, and holding the Hawks to 2-of-17 third down conversions.

With the big scoring plays aside, the Hawk defense allowed just 169 yards on 49 plays. The defense also came away with five sacks on the day, led by linebacker James Ward (Westerly, R.I./ Westerly) who had 2.0 among his seven tackles.

Junior Mike DeMasi (New Canaan, Conn./ New Canaan) had seven tackles on Saturday as well, and also recorded his first interception of the season, after swiping an NE-10 best six passes last year. With seven career picks to his credit, DeMasi is two shy of tying the school's all-time record.

Di-More: The Hawk offense expects to be bolstered by the return of junior running back Derek DiMartino (Amherst, N.H./ UMass Amherst). DiMartino, who is the league's leading returning rusher from a year ago, played last week against AIC and is forecasted to be almost fully healthy for this week's clash.

See Him Go: Senior wideout Matt Santiago (Clinton, Mass./ Clinton) ranks fifth in the NE-10 in receptions per game (5.0), and sixth in all-purpose yards (123.0).