MANCHESTER, N.H. – After winning its first Northeast 10 Conference Championship in 34 years, and the second in program history, the Saint Anselm College women's soccer team received the No. 1 seed in the East Region of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship and will host two games this weekend at Grappone Stadium.
The Hawks won their second NE10 Championship in penalty kicks, 4-3, over the No. 2-seeded Franklin Pierce University on Sunday at Melucci Field after the score was tied 1-1 after 110 minutes of play. Sophomore
Meghan Deneen drilled the game-winner in PKs and gave the Hawks their first automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in program history. Saint Anselm last made the NCAA tournament in 2022 and in 2021, failing to advance in PKs in both first-round matchups. This is Saint Anselm's third appearance in NCAA postseason play as the Hawks enter postseason play with a 10-2-5 record overall including a 7-0-2 record in NE10 play this season.
This will be the first time in program history the Hawks will host the NCAA Division II women's soccer tournament at Saint Anselm College, with the No. 4-seeded Jefferson University taking on the No. 5-seeded Wilmington (Del.) University on Friday, Nov. 21, at 3 p.m. at Grappone Stadium in a neutral site contest. The winner of Friday's matchup will take on the Hawks at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. at Grappone Stadium.
Saint Anselm faced off against both Jefferson and Wilmington earlier in the season, tying the Wildcats, 1-1, before falling 2-0 to the Rams at Wilmington's athletic complex. Since losing to Jefferson, the Hawks are 9-1-4, while riding a 10-game unbeaten streak, tied for the longest streak in program history. Head coach
Lee Moyce and his staff have guided the Hawks to a historic season in just their first season at the helm of the program.
Wilmington enters the weekend having won five straight games, including the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship game over Caldwell University, 2-0, on Sunday. Jefferson, who fell in the second round of the CACC tournament to the Wildcats, finished the season 15-2-1 and were in the midst of a 15-game unbeaten streak and eight-game win streak before their defeat against Wilmington, and the two teams will face off for the third time this season at Grappone Stadium on Friday.
Saint Anselm is joined by NE10 finalist Franklin Pierce in the East Region, with the Ravens earning the No. 2 seed in the region, hosting No. 3-seeded Mercy University, and No. 6-seeded Roberts Wesleyan in Rindge, N.H., at Sodexo Field this weekend.
The winner of the East Region will move on to the NCAA Quarterfinals and play the winner of the Atlantic Region on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Switchbacks FC Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo.
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