WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior Sara Sterling (Mansfield, Mass.) scored in the 58th minute to make it a one-goal game, but the Saint Anselm College field hockey team dropped a 5-1 decision to 10th-ranked Bentley University on a rainy Tuesday evening.
The Hawks drop to 0-2 on the young season, while the Falcons improve to 1-2.
Bentley, which held a 20-10 shot advantage, including 11-1 in the opening stanza, went ahead with 8:51 to go in the first half when Kaitlyn Marcinek recovered a rebound and beat Saint Anselm junior goalkeeper Megan Sullivan (Braintree, Mass.) to make it 1-0.
The Falcons doubled their lead 6:43 into the second half after Beth Maguire deflected a drive from outside the circle into the cage.
Freshman Bridget Davis (Mansfield, Mass.) helped get the Hawks on the board nearly 10 minutes later when her centering pass found the stick of Sterling, who buried the chance to make it 2-1.
Maguire answered 1:02 later, however, to make it a two-goal game before Brandy Asplundh found the back of the cage under three minutes later to put the home team on top, 4-1. Samantha Boardman then sealed the victory with a goal with 1:06 remaining in the contest.
Sullivan made 10 saves, while Bentley goalkeeper Julia Powell stopped five shots.
The Hawks return to action Thursday, Sept. 8 when they play host to Stonehill at 4 p.m.
