MANCHESTER, N.H. – Two first-half goals were not enough for the Saint Anselm women's soccer team Wednesday night against intrastate rival Franklin Pierce, as the visiting Ravens score three unanswered in the second half to soar to a 3-2 win at Melucci Field.

Junior midfielder Rachel Gillies (Auburn, Mass.) was on a mission early, scoring at the 9:05 mark on a breakaway touch from freshman Alexis Elowitch (Portland, Maine). Gillies added her fourth goal of the season just 18 minutes later, clearing traffic with a blast from just inside the box off a drop from sophomore Nicole Rust (Hooksett, N.H.).

After a well-played 45 minutes by the home team, halftime seemed to be the Hawks' worst nightmare as Franklin Pierce showed a completely different arsenal in the second half.

Franklin Pierce (8-3-1, 3-3-3 Northeast-10) took less than eight minutes of the second half to find the back of the net, putting away a rebound off a save by the Hawks' sophomore goalkeeper Cassie Quattropani (East Hartford, Conn.). Just five minutes later, an athletic turn and fire from a Raven forward tied the game at 2-2.

Saint Anselm (5-3-3, 3-3-3 NE-10) had a handful of opportunities to retake the lead, including a pair of free kicks from just outside the box. Yet it was Franklin Pierce in the 81st minute that broke the tie, chipping in the game-winner.

The Hawks have just five games remaining, all of which come against Northeast-10 Conference foes as they battle for a berth in the league tournament. That battle will begin Saturday at Adelphi, as the Panthers host Saint Anselm for a 3 p.m. start in Garden City, N.Y.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.