MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior Meghan Smith (Pittsford, N.Y.) registered four goals and two assists, but the Saint Anselm College women's lacrosse team was defeated by Southern New Hampshire University, 18-10, at Larkin Field on Tuesday evening. Despite the game being played at SNHU, Saint Anselm served as the home team because field conditions on the Hilltop were unplayable.

The Hawks fall to 1-4 on the season, including 1-2 in Northeast-10 play, while the Penmen improve to 5-2, 3-0 NE-10.

Smith jump-started the Hawks with the game's opening score just 53 seconds in. Four straight goals, including a pair from Emily Mongeau, put SNHU on top before tallies from junior Shawna Walsh (Woburn, Mass.) and sophomore Britini Hickman (Farmington, N.H.) sliced the Saint Anselm deficit to one at the midway point of the opening half. The Penmen then scored the final four goals of the half, with three coming from Phoebe Clark, to make it 8-3 at the break.

Southern New Hampshire opened the half with three straight scores, including one each from Clark and Mongeau, to make it 11-3. After Walsh found the back of the net twice in a 33-second span, the Penmen scored five straight, including three more from Clark, to go on top, 16-5, midway through the second half.

Smith tried to lead the charge back for the Hawks as she had a hand in four of their final five goals, but it was not enough as Mongeau tallied two more goals to keep Saint Anselm at a distance. Mongeau finished with five goals, while Clark put in a game-high eight.

Senior goalkeeper Katherine O'Hara (Norwell, Mass.) made 10 saves, while Hannah Moriarty stopped 14 shots from the Penmen, who held a 36-35 edge in shots. Saint Anselm held a 20-10 advantage in draw controls, including 10-2 in the opening half, but converted just two of its 12 free-position opportunities. SNHU was 4-for-5 on its free-position chances.

The Hawks return to action Thursday, March 31 at 4 p.m. when they play host to sixth-ranked Stonehill College (7-0, 4-0 NE-10) at Melucci Field.