WEST HAVEN, Conn. - Junior James Poschmann (Bedford, N.H.) and senior Zach Verow (Bedford, N.H.) scored their first goals of the season as the Saint Anselm College men's soccer team fought to a 2-2 tie against the University of New Haven in their Northeast-10 conference opener on Saturday night.

UP NEXT:

• Saint Anselm is back home at Melucci Field on Wednesday, September 20th to host cross-town rival and nationally-ranked No. 10 Southern New Hampshire University at 4:00 p.m.
• The Hawks are home again next weekend when Southern Connecticut State University comes to Melucci Field for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, September 23rd.

Score: Saint Anselm 2, New Haven 2
Records: Saint Anselm (1-3-2); New Haven (2-1-1)
Location: West Haven, Conn. (Kathy Zolad Stadium)
Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023
Attendance: 168
 
 HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Both sides were held scoreless and without shots on goal in a very defensive first half. The best opportunity of the opening frame came just under 30 minutes in, when New Haven's Alexander Gunnarsson came off the bench and took a shot that hit the inside of the left post before being cleared away by the Saint Anselm defense.
• Just over six minutes into the second half, the Hawks took the lead on Poschmann's first goal of the season. Freshman Yves Maurer (Stoneham, Mass.) floated in a free-kick from inside the midfield stripe. The ball was headed down to junior Samuel Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo), who muscled off a defender, drove to the endline and served in a low cross that New Haven goalkeeper Ginaluca Cersosimo got a hand on, but could not collect. The ball rolled straight out to Poschmann, who smashed home a left-footed shot from the top of the six-yard box.
• In the 68th minute, Samuel Assantha received a through-ball and found himself in a footrace with a New Haven defender. Assantha got to the ball first and ripped a low shot that forced a diving save out of Cersosimo.
• With 18 minutes remaining, the Hawks found the back of the net again to double their lead. Junior Caden Leader (Durham, N.H.) slipped a pass through the Chargers back line to senior Josue Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo), who took a couple of dribbles before flicking a back heel pass at the top of the box to Verow. The Hawks senior forward sprinted onto the ball and one-timed a shot up and over the Chargers goalkeeper, putting the Hawks ahead, 2-0.
• New Haven responded 30 seconds later when Erik Cedeberg got down the left wing and whipped in a cross to teammate Alexander Gunnarsson, who settled the pass and fired a strike into the back of the net from close range to cut the Saint Anselm lead in half.
• The Chargers increased the pressure in the late stages of the game and were rewarded with the equalizing goal by Sean Lane-Turnbull in the 79th minute. New Haven's Augustus McCiff stole the ball from Saint Anselm in the attacking third. He flew past several defenders before finding Lane-Turnbull, who's left-footed shot curled inside the left post to tie the game.
• Both sides had chances in the closing minutes, but the game would end in a 2-2 tie with both teams earning a point.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• New Haven outshot Saint Anselm 10-6 in the game, but the Hawks held a 4-3 advantage in shots on goal.
• The Hawks had three corner kicks in the match, while the Chargers had two. 
• Sophomore goalkeeper David Hood (Manchester, N.H.) recorded one save, while Cersosimo tallied two saves in goal for the Chargers.
• Verow scored his first goal of the season and first career goal for Saint Anselm, while Samuel Assantha and Josue Assantha collected their first assists of the year. Poschmann also notched his first goal as a Hawk.
• Freshman Jackson Dresens (Wayland, Mass.) made his first collegiate start.
• This marked the 15th all-time meeting and the fourth ever draw between these programs.

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