MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's lacrosse team wrapped up the 2016 regular season with a 14-5 setback to #1-ranked Adelphi University on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference action at Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H.
Box Score
In a pregame ceremony, the Hawks honored their 10 member class of 2016 in Jane Bunn (St. Johns, Fla.), Erin Marshall (Woburn, Mass.), Catie Walsh (Freeport, Maine), Kayla Lanagan (North Dartmouth, Mass.), Caitlin Villareal (Portsmouth, R.I.), Bebe Butts (Windham, Maine), Kate DeBenedetto (Reading, Mass.), Michelle Kudlate (Waltham, Mass.), Katie McKenna (Danvers, Mass.) and Jessica Masse (Hanover, Mass.).
Saint Anselm wraps up the season at 7-8 overall and 6-7 in the NE-10 with the playoff picture still to figured out later on Saturday afternoon. Adelphi clinches the top seed in the NE-10 postseason, going an unblemished 16-0 and 13-0 in conference games.
Caitlin Villareal had a three-point day with two goals and an assist while Erin Marshall scored a goal and added a helper of her own. Emma Palumbo (Sudbury, Mass.) and Michelle Kudlate rounded out the scoring with a goal apiece for the Hawks.
Defensively, Jane Bunn made seven saves in goal with Micayla Evans (Hanover, Mass.) and Marta Versprille (Franklin, Mass.) picking up two groundballs each. Versprille led the Hawks with five draw controls, while Villareal had two of her own.
Adelphi was led by four goals from Rachel Aitkens with Kate Beier adding a hat-trick. Emily Keesling had a five-point day with two goals and three assists, while Casey Zalewski scored twice for the Panthers. Taylor Hayes improved to 16-0 this season while making two saves.
The Panthers scored the first five goals of the game before Erin Marshall converted a free-position goal to make it a 5-1 game with 13:45 to play in the first. Adelphi answered with four-straight goals to take a 9-1 lead, but Marshall found Villareal in front for a quick goal to make it a 9-2 game headed into the half.
Villareal picked up an assist at the 18:28 mark of the second half when she hit Emma Palumbo with a pass that Palumbo bounced low to cut the deficit to 11-3. Michelle Kudlate answered a Casey Zalewski goal with a tally of her own, and Caitlin Villareal rounded out the scoring for Saint Anselm with a free position goal.
The Panthers added two goals in the final four minutes of play to pull away for the 14-5 victory.
Adelphi held a 26-10 advantage in shots and scooped up 13 groundballs to eight for the Hawks. Saint Anselm committed 17 turnovers, while the visitors only had nine miscues, and the Panthers were 15-for-15 on clears compared to a 10-for-14 showing for the Hawks.
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