MANCHESTER, N.H. – The nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College women's lacrosse team will travel to top-seeded Bentley University on Thursday, May 6 for a Northeast-10 Conference Divisional Finals matchup at 7 p.m.

Saint Anselm, the 21st-ranked team in Division II according to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), takes the field for the first time since defeating Franklin Pierce University, 17-14, in a NE10 Divisional Semifinals matchup on Monday. With Monday's result, Saint Anselm captured its second-ever victory in the NE10 postseason, previously defeating Bentley in 2014.

The winner of Thursday's game will earn a spot in the NE10 Championship game to be played on Sunday, May 9 at the higher remaining seed.

Live Statistics and Live Video will be available via the NE10 Now Network. In accordance with the NE10 Attendance Policy for the spring 2021 season, Bentley announced that fans will not be permitted access to attend any athletic events. For more information, please refer to the Bentley Spectator Policy.

HAWKS NOTES

• The Hawks, ranked No. 21 in the nation according to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), own an 8-2 overall record heading into the NE10 Divisional Finals against top-seeded Bentley on Thursday, May 6. Early in the year, the Hawks started the 2021 campaign with six consecutive wins.
• Saint Anselm owns the country's 22nd-best scoring defense, conceding an 8.60 goals-against average. Saint Anselm ranks 11th in NCAA Division II in caused turnovers per game (11.60) and 36th in ground balls per game (19.50).
• Junior McKenzie Robinson (Mont Vernon, N.H.), a two-sport athlete at Saint Anselm (field hockey), leads the team in caused turnovers per game with an average of 1.40, ranking inside the top 15 in the NE10. Robinson also posted a career-high seven draw controls in the win over Stonehill on Apr. 24.
• Along with the other Hawks defenders, junior goalkeeper Grace Young (Merrimack, N.H.) has a .503 save percentage that ranks in the top 12 of the nation. She stopped seven shots in her last appearance, earning the eighth win of her season. Helping Young out on defense is senior Caroline Guzzardi (Boxborough, Mass.), who picked up a team-high five ground balls, a season-high mark, in the win over Stonehill.
• Four members of the team landed spots on the 2021 Northeast-10 Conference All-Conference Teams, as announced on Tuesday.
• Junior Jenna Balboni (Billerica, Mass.) and Guzzardi were selected to the All-NE10 Third Team while freshman Alison Ferullo (North Andover, Mass.) and sophomore Lexi Palmisano (Woburn, Mass.) were picked as All-Rookie selections.
• Balboni contributed in a variety of ways, tallying 30 points (28-2=30) on a team-high 28 goals and two assists. She also recorded 12 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. Balboni powered the Hawks offense in Monday's NE10 Divisional Semifinals by posting a career-high six goals in the win. Balboni's 6.78 shots per game leads the Hawks, ranking in the top 35 of the nation. She also led the team in goals per game (2.41) entering the NE10 postseason. The All-Rookie teamer in 2019 also ranks first on the team with eight free position goals.
• Guzzardi earned the first All-Conference selection of her career, helping the Hawks to their eighth NE10 postseason appearance in program history. Guzzardi has picked up a team-high 23 ground balls and has also caused 10 turnovers on the season. She helped out the defense against Stonehill by racking up five ground balls, a season-high mark for the senior.
• In her first season on the Hilltop, Ferullo had an instant impact, scoring 15 goals over six games. She started her collegiate career with posting seven goals across her first two games, five of them coming against American International on Mar. 20. She would then follow up with a six-goal performance against cross-town rival Southern New Hampshire.
• Palmisano owns the fourth-most points on the Hawks roster with 24 (21-3=24) on 21 goals and three assists. She has scored two or more goals in each of the past seven contests. Palmisano has also recorded 26 draw controls over 10 games, ranking second on the team.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

• In their NE10 Divisional Semifinals matchup, the Falcons went down to the wire with nationally-ranked Assumption University, beating the Greyhounds in double overtime, 10-9.
• The Falcons were led by Caroline Affolter who scored the game-winning tally with 1:36 left in the second overtime.
• After falling to the Hawks on Tuesday, Apr. 13, the Falcons won a pair of contests on the road last week, defeating Saint Michael's, 12-2, and Southern New Hampshire, 17-4. In their previous seven of 10 games, the Falcons have held their opponents to nine or fewer goals.
• Julia Glavin has led Bentley's attack with 46 total points on the season, recording three or more goals on nine different occasions throughout the year. Glavin totaled seven goals and three assists in the final week of the regular season, earning hat tricks in wins over Saint Michael's and Southern New Hampshire. She had an all-around performance on the week, totaling six ground balls, two draw controls, and two caused turnovers. In the win over Assumption, she posted four goals with three of them coming from the free-position line.
• The Hawks will also have to watch out for six other student-athletes who have recorded 10 or more points on the season. Sandrine Heller leads that group with six goals and 14 assists for 20 points. She has also scored one or more goals in each of the past three games.
• Bentley's goalkeeper, Eliza Bresler, broke the program's career saves record earlier this year, making 563 saves in her career. She owns a 10-2 record, earning a 7.43 goals-against average over the Falcons' 12 contests. Bresler stopped 12 shots in the win over Assumption, yielding nine goals. She has posted nine double-digit saves throughout the season, including seven against Assumption on Mar. 29.

ALL-TIME vs. BENTLEY

• Thursday's game will be the third meeting of the season between Bentley and Saint Anselm. If it is anything like the previous two meetings, it will be another close game. Both teams won their home game during the regular season. Saint Anselm defeated the Falcons, 12-11, on Apr. 13.
• A week later, the teams met in Waltham and Bentley came away with a 9-7 win.
• The Falcons hold a significant lead in the all-time series list with a 22-3 advantage, claiming wins in six of the seven contests despite falling to the Hawks earlier in 2021.
• The matchup has been close either way as the final score has been within four goals or less in 10 of the prior 13 battles between the rivals.

ALL-TIME, NE10 POSTSEASON

• The Hawks are 2-8 all-time in the NE10 postseason and most recently made the NE10 Championship in 2018.
• Saint Anselm has only twice gotten past the Quarterfinals round in their eight appearances, dating back to the 2014 season when they defeated Bentley, 17-10, and then this year, winning against Franklin Pierce, 17-14.
• The Hawks will look to make history on Thursday as they have not made the NE10 Championship match in program history.
• Bentley will be looking to make the NE10 Finals for the third time in program history and for the first time since 2007.