MANCHESTER, N.H. – Caitlin Villareal and Erica Mattila combined for seven goals for the Saint Anselm College women's lacrosse team in a 15-9 loss to No. 5 LIU Post on Thursday afternoon at Grappone Stadium.
Box Score
Villareal registered four goals and an assist, while Mattila notched her fourth consecutive hat trick for Saint Anselm (6-6). The Hawks trailed LIU Post (11-3) at the half 11-3 but outscored the Pioneers 6-4 in the second half.
The Hawks' nine goals were the most the Pioneers have allowed in a game this season. LIU Post entered the game with the country's top-ranked defense, allowing just 4.08 goals per game.
Mattila tallied five draw controls and Emma Palumbo had two. Jamie Traverse and Kayla Lanagan each snagged two ground balls, as did Jane Bunn, who had a pair of saves as well.
Emily Delany paced LIU Post with four goals and four assists, while Honey Roche, Stefani Vagelatos, Connor Bird and Trish Brisotti had two goals apiece. Bird added two helpers to her pair of goals and Vagelatos set up a goal as well.
LIU Post goalkeeper Olivia Kirk made eight stops on 17 shots after entering the game as the nation's leader in save percentage (.598).
The Hawks outshot the Pioneers 25-22 in the game, including 15-8 in the second half, but the visitors had a 12-9 edge in ground balls. LIU Post committed two more turnovers than Saint Anselm, 13-11, and committed 30 fouls compared to 13 for the hosts.
The Pioneers raced out to a 7-1 lead in the first 15:57 of the game on goals by six different players, as Delaney scored twice and set up two more in the early stages. The teams split the next four goals, with Mattila and Villareal scoring for the Hawks, before LIU Post scored the final two goals of the half to go up by eight at the break.
After Delaney opened the scoring in the second half, Mattila and Bebe Butts scored 30 seconds apart to get the Hawks within 12-5 with 26:10 remaining. The Pioneers responded with the next three goals, two by Vagelatos, to take a 10-goal lead with 20:01 to go.
Saint Anselm came back with the game's final four goals over the last 15 minutes. Mattila capped her hat trick, Villareal scored on a pair of free position shots and Marta Versprille got on the scoresheet with 7:44 to play.
The Hawks play at No. 9 New Haven on Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m.
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