ALBANY, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Saint Anselm College women's soccer team came out on the losing end of Wednesday's Northeast-10 Conference semifinals tilt at the top-seeded College of Saint Rose by a 5-1 score.
 
Saint Rose, ranked No. 6 nationally in NCAA Division II by the United Soccer Coaches, moves to 16-0-3 overall on the year and will advance to the NE10 Championship on Sunday, Nov. 6. The Golden Knights, the top seed in the NE10 postseason, will play host to Adelphi, the winner of the earlier NE10 semifinals contest.
 
The Hawks drop to 10-7-1 on the season but were ranked sixth in the first official NCAA Division II East Region poll. The top eight teams in each region according to the final rankings will be selected to NCAA postseason play. The NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship selection show will air on NCAA.com this Monday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
 
Junior Olivia Gotobed (North Andover, Mass.) scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season to kick off the game, but Saint Rose overwhelmed the Hawks with the game's next five goals. The Golden Knights struck four times in the second half to put the game away.
 
Off a free kick by freshman Devan Sherry (Gorham, Maine) at midfield, a Gotobed header at the top of the box eluded the grasp of the Saint Rose keeper for the game's first goal at 35:52. The Hawks nearly added a second goal just minutes later, but a shot by freshman Addie Birkett (East Greenwich, R.I.) in the goal mouth struck the woodwork.
 
Saint Rose drew even at 39:57 as a sliding Lauren Amerena beat a Hawks defender and a sprawling Saint Anselm keeper in the slot – the slide sent the ball toward the left post where it bounced into the gaping net. The shot was the fifth and final shot of the opening half for Saint Rose, who held a narrow 5-3 edge in attempts.
 
After an injury delay shortly into the second half, Saint Rose directly played the ball forward off a free kick. Kaelyn Britt took advantage, putting home a rebound off the Hawks goalkeeper to put her team ahead, 2-1. The Golden Knights added goals from Mia Klammer, Madelyn Wania and Olivia Boucher to send the Hawks back to the Granite State.
 
Hawks netminder Kate Macaluso (Malverne, N.Y.) allowed five goals on seven shots, taking the loss. Freshman Emma Hudson (Kingston, Mass.) came on in relief for the Hawks for the game's final three-plus minutes.
 
Saint Rose saw the tandem of Pia Bozic and Taylor Gray concede just one marker on three shots faced.
 
Saint Anselm, who qualified for the NCAA playoffs last year for the first time in program history, was making its second consecutive appearance in the NE10 semifinals. The last time the women's soccer program had accomplished that feat was in 1994 and 1995.