MANCHESTER, N.H. – The #7-ranked Saint Anselm College field hockey team scored a pair of second half goals to rally for a 2-1 victory over visiting #10 Adelphi University on Saturday afternoon at Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H.
Box Score
The Hawks improve to 10-2 overall and 5-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference with the win, while Adelphi drops to 7-4 and 4-2 in league games. Saint Anselm defeated the Panthers for the first time since the 2012 season, snapping a five game skid against Adelphi.
Jackie Guillemette scored the game-winning goal in the 65th minute of action to lead the Hawks to the 2-1 victory. Hannah Friend added the other goal for the Hawks registering her seventh tally of the season. Mia Vecchione picked up an assist on Friend's goal, while Allia Connolly had the helper on Guillemette's tally.
Katherine Sears picked up her 10th win of the season, making eight saves in the victory.
After a scoreless first half, Adelphi opened the scoring early in the second as Lena Pollich played a ball into the middle that found Emily Power. Power turned and slipped a backhanded shot through Sears' legs and into the back of the cage to put the Panthers on top, 1-0.
The Hawks wasted no time finding a response as they scored less than six minutes later by taking advantage of a Panther turnover. Mia Vecchione intercepted a pass in the midfield and turned up field with Hannah Friend flanking her on the right. Vecchione played a perfect pass ahead to Friend who took a touch and fired the ball opposite post for the equalizer to make it a 1-1 game with 21:09 remaining.
Saint Anselm kept up the pressure and eventually earned a penalty corner with less than seven minutes left in regulation. Erin Collins played the ball into Rose Mooney and the senior fired the ball into traffic where Allia Connolly was able to knock the ball down. The ball fell right to Guillemette and she buried a shot past Adelphi's Amanda Gargiulo to put Saint Anselm in front 2-1.
With their backs against the wall, Adelphi worked hard to try and find the game-tying goal, but the Saint Anselm defense and Sears were up to the task. After the Panthers were awarded a corner, Katherine Sears kicked away a long shot from Samantha Nizich, but the Hawks could not clear it, leading to another Adelphi corner.
This time the ball came out top to Jamie Ahrens and Sears saved her long shot, but the rebound came out to Elizabeth Mercuri. Mercuri tried to slip one past Sears but the senior made the stop. Adelphi had one more chance off a corner, but Sears was there for another save on an Elissa Frein shot to help the Hawks hang on for the 2-1 win.
Saint Anselm held a 15-12 advantage in shots in the game while attempting 13 penalty corners to just six for Adelphi. Amanda Gargiulo made four saves in the setback for Adelphi, with Rachel Colvin registering a pair of defensive saves.
The Hawks return to action on Wednesday night when they host #5 Stonehill College at 7 p.m.
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