MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior Colleen Sears (Danvers, Mass.) registered a pair of goals to lead the Saint Anselm College field hockey team to Wednesday afternoon's 5-2 victory against Franklin Pierce University on Senior Day in the team's home finale at Grappone Stadium.
The Hawks improve to 8-8 on the season, including 3-7 in Northeast-10 play, while the Ravens dip to 8-9, 5-5 NE-10.
Saint Anselm wasted no time jumping on the board just 6:38 into the contest as senior Bridget Davis (Mansfield, Mass.) slipped a pass from the left of the arc toward the right post for freshman Allia Connolly (Westford, Mass.), who slapped the ball past goalkeeper Meaghan Williams, off the inside of the left post and into the net.
The Hawks doubled their lead to 2-0 exactly 9:59 later as Sears carried the ball up the right side blasted a shot past Williams and just inside the left post. Sears then made it 3-0 with 5:44 remaining in the opening half with an almost identical shot after receiving a feed from freshman Erin Collins (Auburn, Mass.).
Junior Taylor Coons (Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.) helped stretch the lead to 4-0 just 2:38 into the second half as she put away a ball at the left post after Connolly barely snuck a cross underneath the goalkeeper Williams.
The Ravens finally answered 29 seconds later on a strike from Courtney Kelly and then cut it to 4-2 in the 59th minute on a goal by Erin Trainor, but that would be as close they would come before junior Meagan Halligan (No. Branford, Conn.) put the finishing touches on the triumph with a goal with five seconds on the clock.
Sophomore goalkeeper Katherine Sears (Northboro, Mass.) stopped three of the five shots she faced in the first 61:17 of action, while senior Jessica Snow (Shrewsbury, Mass.) made two huge saves over the final 8:43 with Franklin Pierce threatening. Williams stopped nine shots.
The Hawks doubled up the Ravens in shots, 30-15, including 19-2 in the opening stanza, while FPU held a 13-11 edge in penalty corners.
The Hawks wrap up their season Saturday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. when they take on American International College. 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.
