MANCHESTER, N.H. – The regionally-ranked Saint Anselm College women's soccer team netted a goal in each half as they downed Saint Michael's College by a 2-1 score in Northeast-10 Conference action on Wednesday.
With the win, the Hawks improve to 6-2-0 on the season and 2-2-0 in NE10 matches while the Purple Knights drop to 1-3-2 overall and 0-3-1 in league tilts. Saint Anselm will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the University of New Haven with the opening kickoff slated for 1 p.m.
Junior
Delaney Glode (Kennebunkport, Maine) and sophomore
Josie Pecor (Williston, Vt.) netted a goal each for the Hawks while junior
Olivia Gotobed (North Andover, Mass.) collected a pair of assists and senior
Kathryn White (Georgetown, Mass.) registered one helper.
Freshman
Emma Hudson (Kingston, Mass.) collected her sixth win of the season as she stopped eight of nine Saint Michael's shots on goal including five of six in the second half alone.
Katie Escobedo made four saves in the goal for the Purple Knights.
In the 66th minute, White sent a free kick from the midfield where Gotobed inside the 18-yard box. Gotobed fired a shot that was saved by Escobedo but the rebound snuck out to the left post where Glode was able to push home her first goal of the season to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
The Purple Knights had a great chance to tie the match in the 79th minute as
Bella DelVecchio sent a shot on goal from about 35 yards out toward the upper left of the goal. However, a diving Hudson would keep the ball out of the goal to preserve the Hawks 2-1 lead.
Earlier in the match, the Hawks registered the first great scoring opportunity in the match as Gotobed sent a cross for Pecor on the right post but her shot attempt went just wide in the 20th minute.
Saint Anselm jumped right back on the attack as Pecor collected a pass from Gotobed just two minutes later and blasted a right-footed shot into the back of the net to give Saint Anselm a 1-0 advantage.
In the 38th minute, the Hawks had a great chance to double the lead as freshman
Madison DiNapoli (North Reading, Mass.) sent a shot on target that beat the Purple Knights goalkeeper. However,
Melanie Winters was on the doorstep to keep the ball out of the goal, earning a team save.
Saint Michael's found an equalizer in the 58th minute as Winters sent a free kick into the box which was headed down by the Hawks defense.
Claire Williams collected the loose ball and fired a shot into the upper half of the goal to knot the match at one.
The Hawks had another golden chance to find the back of the net as sophomore
Erin Rutherford (Ashburnham, Mass.) found herself alone in the Purple Knights 18-yard box. She would fire a shot that beat Escobedo but
Jordyn Morey blocked the shot attempt away for another team save.
Saint Anselm held an 18-12 advantage in shots but trailed by a 9-8 margin in shots on goal. Saint Michael's registered seven corner kicks to three for the Hawks.
