The Game: Saint Anselm opens its home schedule on Saturday with a Northeast-10 Conference game against the Setters of Pace University. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 PM.

Saint Anselm has started the season with a pair of wins, marking the first time in the school's modern era that the Hawks have started at 2-0. The Hawks opened with a 24-0 win at Plymouth State on September 4 before taking away a 26-17 win at Assumption College last weekend. The Hawks have now set a program record with five straight wins dating back to last season, including three on the road. On Saturday, the Hawks will also be looking to start out at 2-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference with a win versus Pace.

Pace comes into Saturday's game with an 0-2 record both overall and in the Northeast-10. The Setters suffered a 15-14 loss to Stonehill last weekend as the Chieftains kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired.

This will be the third straight visit to Grappone Stadium for the Setters, whom have not hosted the Hawks since October 6, 2001.

Series History: The Hawks have won three straight wins in the all-time series and lead 3-2. In its three wins, the Hawks have averaged 32.6 points per game against just 10.6 for the Setters. Last season, the Hawks held Pace to just 61 rushing yards on 42 carries (1.4 ypc) while sacking Pace QB Mike Timmerman five times.

In the past three years, Saint Anselm has allowed just 2.74 yards per carry against the Setters (128-for-351).

Hawks' Senior RB Derek DiMartino has run wild against Pace in two prior meetings with 194 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries (6.3 ypc). Last season he ran for 101 yards on 24 carries and two years ago, ran for a record 78-yard touchdown.

Inside The Numbers: Saint Anselm sees itself ranked among the leaders in almost every defensive category in the NE-10. The Hawks allowed just 163 yards of total offense to Assumption on Saturday and the defense has yielded just three points all season. The Hawks lead the NE-10 in points against (8.5 per game), passing yards allowed per game (132.0), defensive interceptions (6), and pass defense efficiency (52.4). They are second in overall defense (192.0 yards per game), and are tied with Pace as the least penalized team in the league (13).

Pace is allowing nearly 360 yards of offense per game while the Hawks have been running up an average of 337 yards on offense. Conversely, the Setters will have to find a way to improve upon their 194.5 yards of total offense per game against a stingy Hawk defense.

Pace: Pace is coming off a 15-14 loss at home to Stonehill in which the Chieftains kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired. Pace outgained the Setters 341-274 and took a 14-0 lead but could not score in the second half as the visitors came back.

Fullback Reuben Sullins leads the team with 56 yards on 20 carries (2.8 ypc). Timmerman has thrown for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 25 of 44 passing. Paul Sperone and Keith Locascio have each caught five passes. On defense, Dan Sullivan had recorded 24 tackles with 15 of them coming as solo efforts, to go along with an interception and a fumble recovery.

Running With The Devil: The Hawks have won five straight games dating back to last season and they have been doing it with staggered numbers on both sides of the ball. The team's defense has been dominant, allowing just 382 rushing yards on 205 carries, an average of 1.86 yards per carry. On offense, the Hawks have also dominated, rushing for 805 yards on 204 carries (five touchdowns), an average of 3.9 yards per carry.

September Days: The Hawks have never had a losing record at Grappone Stadium but have just four wins there during the month of September. The last time the program won a September home game was in 2001 (31-30 over UMass Lowell and 28-26 over Assumption).

Di-More: DiMartino set the school rushing record (2,044) after rushing for 152 yards (1 TD) on 31 carries against Assumption. He has now run for at least 100 yards in a record five straight games dating back to last season. DiMartino also leads all Northeast-10 Conference runners in attempts (55), yards (310), rushing yards per game (155.0), all-purpose yards (353), and all-purpose yards per game (176.5). He enters Saturday's game just 20 yards shy of the program's all-time record for all-purpose yards.

Accuracy Down, Production Up: Sophomore Michael Garcarz was named to the d2football.com Freshman All-America Team as a place kicker last season after setting an NE-10 record with 10 field goals on 16 attempts. This season, his kicking accuracy has gone down with three successful tries on eight attempts, but the Hawks have not seemed to mind, since has become a triple threat as a wide receiver, kicker and punter.

On Saturday, Garcarz set single game records for receptions (8) and receiving yards (158). He caught a 31-yard touchdown and threw a 19-yard touchdown making him the only player in school history to throw, catch, and run for a touchdown in a single season, as well as the first player to do the aforementioned while also kicking a field goal and extra point. He also averaged 33.2 yards on six punts (only two returned) against Assumption. Garcarz leads the Northeast-10 in receptions (14), receptions per game (7.), point scoring (13.0 per game), and is third in receiving yards (216). Oh, and he is tied for the league lead with three made field goals.

Defense: The Hawks lead the NE-10 with six interceptions, led by Mark Wysocki and Jim Malone who each have two... David Heiner leads the defense with 3.5 sacks. An amazing 15 different players have recorded at least one tackle for a loss this season and eight different players have been involved in a turnover... Thomas Kelleher has done a little bit of everything, with 17 tackles, a sack, an interception, a fumble recovery, and one blocked punt.

Saint Anselm Injury Report:

WR Pat Turner-Hamstring-Gametime Decision
RB Ernie Ardolino-Shoulder-Gametime Decision
DB Michael DeMasi-Hamstring-Gametime Decision

LB Doug Beaulieu-Knee-Gametime Decision

DL Josh Ahlquist-Knee-Out for Season
DB James DesRocher-Shoulder-Out for Season

TE Adam Carvill-Knee-Out for Season

Memorabilia Collectors: This season, the Office of Sports Information will be producing four different editions of the "Saint Anselm Gameday" magazine. Each home game will feature a different member of the 2004 team. Pick up a copy at each game, along with the 92-page 2004 Football Media Guide.