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Merrimack MER (13-4, 9-3 NE-10)
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Winner Saint Anselm STA (15-3, 9-3 NE-10)
Merrimack MER
(13-4, 9-3 NE-10)
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Final
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Saint Anselm STA
(15-3, 9-3 NE-10)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Merrimack MER 0 1 1
Saint Anselm STA 0 2 2

Game Recap: Field Hockey |

#10 Field Hockey Goes a Perfect 12-0 at Home With 2-1 Win Over #6 Merrimack

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Meagan Halligan (No. Branford, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal with 10:41 remaining in regulation and the defense turned in a superb performance as the 10th-ranked Saint Anselm College field hockey team eked out a 2-1 victory against sixth-ranked Merrimack College on Saturday afternoon in both teams' regular-season finales at Grappone Stadium.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

  • Halligan's goal was her team-leading fourth game-winner of the season.
  • Sophomore Emma Kincaid (W. Bridgewater, Mass.) scored her team-leading 11th goal of the season.
  • Junior backs Jennifer Brown (Freeport, Maine) and Elizabeth Alie (Franklin, Mass.) accounted for all five of the Hawks' defensive saves, tallying three and two, respectively.
  • Junior goalkeeper Katherine Sears (Northboro, Mass.) turned away eight shots herself.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Saint Anselm had a pair of chances to score in the opening half. Freshman Maddie Bressler (Franklin, Mass.) and sophomore Jamie McNamara (Auburn, Mass.) peppered Merrimack goalkeeper Madison Davis with back-to-back shots in the 22nd minute, but Davis was up to the task both times. The Hawks' most dangerous chance came early in the 29th minute when Bressler played a long ball into the top of the circle from the right flank, but senior Taylor Coons' (Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.) one-time drive went just wide to the right of the cage.
  • Merrimack had a very good opportunity to grab the lead with under a minute remaining in the first stanza when Taylor Simpson maneuvered around Sears and tried to put a shot by her, but Alie was able to clear it off the line and out of harm's way.
  • Saint Anselm finally broke through 2:11 into the second half when sophomore Erin Collins (Auburn, Mass.) received the ball at the top right side of the circle following a penalty corner and hit it toward the front of the net where Kincaid one-timed it past Davis.
  • The Warriors nearly tied it in the 43rd minute when Rylie Hammond rang the post and the ball caromed to Mary McNeil, whose shot went just wide of the cage.
  • Merrimack would gain the equalizer in the 50th minute, however, when Hannah Magerman set up a Christine Zubkus goal from the left side of the arc following a corner.
  • The game remained knotted for the next nearly 10 minutes until Halligan received the rebound off Kincaid's shot on the left side of the circle and scooped it inside the left post to give the Hawks the 2-1 lead.
  • Some tense moments played out near the end of the match as Merrimack earned four penalty corners over the final 30 seconds, including two with no time on the clock. The Saint Anselm defense, which had been stellar all day, was able to clear the ball out on the fourth try and seal the victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

  • Davis made seven saves for Merrimack, which also received a defensive save from Brie Cook.
  • Merrimack doubled up Saint Anselm in shots, 26-13, including 16-7 in the second half. The Warriors also held a 19-7 advantage in penalty corners, including 12-2 in the second period.

NOTES

  • The Hawks earn the No. 5 seed for their first Northeast-10 Championship since 2007. Saint Anselm finished in a three-way tied for third place with Merrimack and Stonehill College via their 9-3 conference mark, but lost to top-seeded Adelphi University in the regular season, thus making them the fifth seed. Merrimack and Stonehill both defeated Adelphi during the conference slate. Merrimack's win over Stonehill during the season made it the No. 3 seed, placing Stonehill fourth and setting up a Tuesday, Nov. 3 (7 p.m.) showdown in Easton, Mass., between the Hawks and Skyhawks. Stonehill won the regular-season meeting on its home turf, 4-3, after trailing 2-1 in the second half.
  • Saint Anselm wraps up the regular season at 15-3 overall, extending its program record for victories in a single season. The Hawks, who have now won nine of their last 11, also close out their home slate a perfect 12-0 at Grappone Stadium.

UP NEXT

  • The Hawks are back in action Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. when they travel to Stonehill for a Northeast-10 Championship quarterfinal tilt.

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