SPARKILL, N.Y. – The regionally-ranked Saint Anselm College men's soccer team was downed by Saint Thomas Aquinas College in non-conference action on Wednesday, 4-1.

With the loss, the Hawks drop to 6-3-0 overall while the Spartans improve to 4-2-3 on their season. Saint Anselm will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Bentley University. Saturday's Northeast-10 Conference tilt is set for a 5 p.m. opening kickoff.

Senior Michael Fortin (Goffstown, N.H.) netted his first goal of the season on Wednesday with graduate student Zach Elliot (Manchester, N.H.) registering an assist on the play, putting him in a tie for the top spot on the team.

The Spartans netted the match's opening goal in the 24th minute when Anthony Bolivar Sanchez collected a feed from Jorge Umana inside the Saint Anselm 18-yard box. He finished off the play with the right foot into the bottom right corner of the goal, giving Saint Thomas Aquinas a 1-0 lead.

Bolivar Sanchez earned a penalty kick in the 29th minute but senior goalkeeper Brian Underhill (Westford, Mass.) made a diving save to his right to stop the PK chance.

Yahir Hernandez doubled the hosts lead in the 48th minute from just outside the six-yard box. He gathered a cross and quickly sent home the chance with the left foot.

Hernandez found his second of the day as he sent a rebound chance into the back of the net in the 61st minute to give the Spartans a 3-0 edge.

Fortin got the Hawks on the board in the 64th minute with his first goal of the season. Sophomore Caden Leader (Durham, N.H.) settle down an offensive push and found Elliot at the top of the 18-yard box. Elliot sent a feed to Fortin on the left side of the box and the senior managed to beat Tabor McDaniels, the Spartans goalkeeper.

Umana fired a long shot in the 65th minute to quickly reestablish the Saint Thomas Aquinas three-goal advantage, now leading by a 4-1 score.

The Hawks held a 19-13 edge in shots but the Spartans put eight shots on goal to six for Saint Anselm. The Spartans earned five corner kicks compared to four for the Hawks.

Underhill made four saves in the losing effort for Saint Anselm while McDaniels turned aside five of six shots on goal for Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Freshmen Khristian Karibian (Groton, Mass.), Hunter Holland (Hampton, N.H.), Kyle Myers (Medway, Mass.), and Henry Zent (Barrington, N.H.) all made their collegiate debuts in the match.