MANCHESTER, N.H. – The second-seeded Saint Anselm College women's ice hockey team dropped the first game of its three-game series with the seventh-seeded Saint Michael's College by a 4-3 score on Friday.

The Hawks move to 15-16-4 on the season with the loss while the Purple Knights improve to 2-24-4 overall. Game two of the first round series is scheduled for a 1 p.m. puck drop on Saturday, Feb. 25 from Sullivan Arena.

Graduate student Kelly Golini (Tewkbury, Mass.) and sophomore Tyra Turner (Andover, Minn.) netted one goal and assisted on one other for two points. Junior Natalie Tulchinsky (Clifton Park, N.Y.) was credited with two assists, matching Golini and Turner's two-point efforts. Senior Margaret Sullivan (Burlington, Mass.) added one goal for the Hawks offense.

Golini is now tied for the program lead in points in a single season at 43, becoming the third student-athlete to reach that mark. Golini also moved into fourth in career points (120) and third in single-season assists (25), both in program history.

The Purple Knights opened the scoring at 8:49 of the first period as Jordan Lettiere managed to sneak a rebound shot through senior goaltender Allie Kelley (East Berne, N.Y.), giving the Purple Knights a 1-0 lead.

Turner tied the score just 4:28 into the second frame on the power play. The sophomore collected a cross-ice pass from Tulchinsky, and sent a wrist shot into the twine for her 19th goal of the season.

At 10:29 of the middle period, Maeghan Kennard forced a turnover in the neutral zone and sent a wrist shot on Kelley. The senior got some of the shot attempt but not enough as it snuck through and into the back of the goal.

The Purple Knights doubled their lead on a power play goal by Angelina Ruiz at 16:45 of the second period. Ruiz one-timed home a cross-crease pass from Grace Canterbury as Saint Michael's took a 3-1 lead to the second intermission.

Sullivan cut the Hawks deficit to one early in the third period. A loose puck following a poke check found Sullivan in the slot and she lifted a backhand shot over Carissa Mudrak for the Hawks second goal of the game.

The sides traded scores just 35 seconds apart late in the third as Mikaela Langbacka found the back of the goal on the power play before Golini redirected a feed from sophomore Audrey Jackson (Shoreview, Minn.), pushing the score to its eventual final of 4-3.

Saint Anselm held a 32-22 advantage in shots on goal and won 29-of-53 faceoffs in the contest. The Purple Knights netted two power play goals in six chances while the Hawks were one-for-three with the extra skater.

Kelley made 18 saves in the goal for the Hawks while Mudrak turned aside 29 shots for the Purple Knights.