NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Saint Anselm College women's soccer team posted a 2-0 win over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference action on Saturday.
With the win, the Hawks, who are the fifth-ranked team in the East Region according to the United Soccer Coaches, improve to 8-3-1 on the season with a 6-3-1 mark in NE10 play. The Owls fall to 5-6-2 overall with a 4-4-2 mark in league matches.
"A great result today on the road for us as Southern Connecticut was sharp from the start," said Head Coach
Joel Bancroft. "They were pushing tempo and we were under pressure for long stretches. Successful teams need to be able to weather storms and find ways to win when they aren't at their best. Our response in the second half was outstanding. Credit the team for looking within themselves and finding another level. The team was incredibly resilient on the day."
Junior
Grace Foley (Middleton, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal in the 64th minute. Senior
Regan Pratt (Newburyport, Mass.) won a 50-50 battle in the left corner to set up the scoring play, driving toward goal while sending a pass to the middle of the box where Foley directed the play into the back of the net to give Saint Anselm a 1-0 lead it would not relinquish.
Earlier in the match, the Owls pushed the Hawks, recording five shots on goal in the first 15 minutes of action. Southern Connecticut State did not allow Saint Anselm to record a shot in the opening 45 minutes and the hosts held an 8-0 advantage in shots. However, Saint Anselm managed to keep the Owls off the board as both team recorded three shots before the opening goal.
Sophomore
Olivia Gotobed (North Andover, Mass.) put the match out of reach with her seventh goal of the season in the final minute of regulation. She now is tied for third in the conference in goals, trailing the conference leader by two tallies.
Junior
Kate Macaluso (Malverne, N.Y.) posted a career-high 14 saves on the way to her fifth shutout of the season.
Allie Smith faced four shots on goal in the second half, stopping two of them in the losing effort for the Owls.
The Hawks host the nation's sixth-ranked team in Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The opening kick is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Melucci Field.
