MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior Gina Vellucci's (Saugus, Mass.) first career goal and a late putaway by sophomore Alexis Elowitch (Portland, Maine) propelled the Saint Anselm College women's soccer team to a 2-0- victory over Northeast-10 Conference foe Southern Connecticut State Wednesday afternoon at Melucci Field.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Vellucci, who has spent much of her career at Saint Anselm as a defender, pushed up late in the first half and scored her first collegiate goal for the Hawks at the 29:09 mark.
• Elowitch netted her second goal of the year with an insurance tally at the 84:25 mark in the second period.
• Junior Kendra Bonczar (Milford, N.H.) notched her first assist of the year on Vellucci's first-half putaway.
• Junior Cassie Quattropani (East Hartford, Conn.) posted her first shutout of 2015 with three saves in a full 90 minutes of action. It was also her first winning decision of the year, improving to 1-2-1 overall.
• Erica Ridella talled a game-high five saves for the Owls.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Both teams took a bit to organize their game plans early in Wednesday's matchup before Saint Anselm struck first on Vellucci's goal. Bonczar delivered from just outside the top of the box to right about the 20 on the left side of the box. Vellucci one-timed a back-footed chip shot that sailed into the upper right corner of the net to take the early lead.
• SCSU nearly tied it up right before the half on a beautiful cross from the right flank that found the head of the Owls' Victoria Conde, but Quattropani extended and batted the ball wide right to preserve the slim lead at the half.
• Elowitch found space deep in SCSU territory and beat both a defender and the goalkeeper, but a difficult sharp angle prevented her to find the back of the net as she launched the attempt high at the 66:07 mark.
• The sophomore would eventually get redemption, streaking past a pair of defenders and slipping by Ridella in the 85th minute to tuck away her second goal of the year and seal an important home victory for the Hawks.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Southern Connecticut State earned three corners Wednesday night, holding the Hawks cornerless for the first time this season.
• Saint Anselm outshot SCSU 13-7, including a 7-2 advantage in the second half alone.
NOTES
• Saint Anselm improves to 5-10-2 all-time against the Owls.
• Wednesday's win snaps a five game winless streak against SCSU—the Owls were previously 3-0-2 entering the midweek matchup since 2010.
UP NEXT
• Saint Anselm will look to avenge an early-season loss to Assumption this Saturday after the Greyhounds knocked off the Hawks in the opening round of the Catholic Cup in both teams' season debut. Game time at Assumption's turf is slated for 1 p.m. in Worcester. The Hawks will then return to Melucci field for three straight home matchups to close out September.
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