MANCHESTER, N.H. – The nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College women's lacrosse team looks to keep its unbeaten streak going as the Hawks travel to take on its cross-town rival Southern New Hampshire University on Thursday, Apr. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

NO. 21 SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE HAWKS
Roster | Schedule & Results | 2021 Statistics | News

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY PENMEN
Roster | Schedule & Results | 2021 Statistics | News

Released on Monday, the Hawks stay in the 21st spot in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) National Poll. This matchup will put the Hawks nine-game winning streak on the line as the stretch of Saint Anselm success dates back to the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. This year, the Hawks have earned a perfect 5-0 record with four of their wins coming in official Northeast-10 Conference contests, including a big victory over No. 13 Bentley on Tuesday.
 
In accordance with the NE10 Attendance Policy for the spring 2021 season, no outside spectators will be permitted at any Southern New Hampshire athletic contests. This includes the public, family members and parents of student-athletes for both the Penmen and its visiting opponents, and the Southern New Hampshire campus community, including students, faculty, and staff. For more information, please refer to their Spectator Policy.
 
LIVE STATS will be provided for the game, along with LIVE VIDEO by the NE10 Now Network.
 
HAWKS NOTES

• Last time out, the Hawks defeated the 13th-ranked team in all of Division II, Bentley University, beating the Falcons in nail-biting fashion with a 12-11 score. The Hawks also netted their first victory over a nationally-ranked program since Apr. 24, 2018 when the Hawks held on for a narrow 12-11 win over Assumption at Grappone Stadium. Saint Anselm has won each of its nine previous contests, dating back to the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
• Saint Anselm has fired at least 34 shots in each of its five games this year and has outscored its opponents by a combined 67-to-33 margin.
• Saint Anselm is one of just seven programs in NCAA Division II without a loss, including Le Moyne, Lindenwood (Mo.), Roberts Wesleyan, Seton Hill, UIndy, and West Chester. The Hawks find themselves second in the NCAA rankings in ground balls per game with 24.20 and tied with Seton Hill for the NCAA lead in caused turnovers per game (15.00).
• Sophomore Lexi Palmisano (Woburn, Mass.) led Saint Anselm with two goals and two assists for four points (2-2=4) and led the way with six draw controls against No. 13 Bentley. Freshman Jess Sullivan (Wrentham, Mass.) and junior Jenna Balboni (Billerica, Mass.) each scored three goals to support the Hawks offense. Balboni has posted three or more points in the past three straight contests, dating back to a five-point performance against Saint Michael's. She also owns a 11-game points streak with the span starting on Apr. 24, 2019 at Pace.
• Senior Kelsey Czarnota (Wakefield, Mass.) also owns an eight-game points streak, dating back to Mar. 3, 2020 against Embry-Riddle (Fla.).
• Headlining the Hawks defense is junior goalkeeper Grace Young (Merrimack, N.H.) who holds the nation's ninth-best goals-against average (6.60) along with a .554 save percentage. Against the Falcons, Young earned the win, making eight saves on 19 shots to move to 5-0 on the season.
• Including in the defense, senior Julia McCarthy (Marshfield, Mass.) caused four turnovers and Caroline Guzzardi (Boxborough, Mass.) led all field student-athletes with four ground balls on the day against Bentley.

SCOUTING THE PENMEN

• As a team, the Penmen finished last season with a 2-1 record, beating Dominican (N.Y.) and Bridgeport. Back in 2019, Southern N.H. posted a 7-10 record. The Penmen dropped its home opener against No. 10 Mercy before defeating its next two opponents.
• In 2021, the Penmen owns a 2-5 record, claiming both of their wins over the Purple Knights of Saint Michael's College by scores of 9-6 and 14-5. Southern N.H. has faced three nationally-ranked teams over the seven games, including two from Assumption.
• Skylar Renaud is the Penmen's top scorers in 2021, totaling 20 points (17-3=20) on 17 goals and three assists. Renaud has posted three or more goals on three separate occasions this year. Also in the scoring mix for the Penmen is Erin Gordon who has earned 14 points (7-7=14) on seven goals and seven assists. Angelina Graziano and Shelby Cole round of the Penmen scorers with 10 or more points on the season.
• Kelsey Long earned NE10 All-Rookie Team and Third Team All-Conference honors after posting 38 goals and 16 assists for 54 points, placing second on the team in helpers and third in both goals and points in 2019. A year later, Long tied for the team lead in points with 12, recording 11 scores with one assist. Merry Harrington logged the same amount of goals, assists, and points as her teammate in the shortened 2020 season.
• In net, the Penmen have two junior goalkeepers in their lineup with Hayle Ashford starting all three games a year ago. Caela McCartney is the other junior goalkeeper, who has gained the starting role in 2021, earning a 2-3 record along with a 14.89 goals-against average.

ALL TIME vs. SOUTHERN N.H.

• Saint Anselm and Southern N.H. have an 9-8 record against each other, with the Hawks earning the slim advantage while also capturing their last win against the Penmen in 2018 when Saint Anselm surged out of a 14-2 halftime lead on its way to a 19-7 victory in a Queen City Cup clash.
• Saint Anselm defeated the Penmen in the 2021 season opener as the Hawks won 19-5. The Hawks victory was the largest margin in program history – the 14-goal margin bested the previous high mark of 12 goals, set in 2018 with a 19-7 victory.
• In the past nine games in the series, the Hawks have claimed wins in seven of those contests. The group had a five-year winning streak against the Penmen during that span. In the times that the Hawks have won against their cross-town rival, Saint Anselm has defeated their opponent by more than a seven-goal differential with the most coming in 2018, beating the Penmen by 12.
• The very first game between the two was played on Apr. 19, 2004 and was a 16-7 victory for the Hawks.