MANCHESTER, N.H. – The fourth-seeded Saint Anselm College men's soccer team is set to host fifth-seeded Franklin Pierce University on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. at Melucci Field in the first round of the 2026 Northeast 10 Conference Championship.
The Hawks enter the postseason with an 8-7 overall record, including a 5-4 mark in Northeast 10 Conference play, earning their first conference tournament appearance since 2023. Saint Anselm secured the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the first round by holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over Franklin Pierce. Saturday's contest will mark the Hawks' first home NE10 Tournament game since 2002.
Saturday's matchup marks the second meeting between the two programs in just 10 days, following Saint Anselm's 2-1 victory over then-No. 21 Franklin Pierce on Oct. 21 at Melucci Field. In the regular-season meeting, the Hawks earned a comeback victory over the Ravens, with senior Jackson Dresens netting the game-winning goal.
Admission to all rounds of NE10 fall championships is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children. Saturday's contest will also be streamed live on FloCollege.
The Hawks have secured their first winning season under head coach Bruno Victal, who took over the program in 2016. Saint Anselm's eight victories mark the most in a single season during Victal's tenure, surpassing the seven-win seasons recorded in 2019 and 2022. The Hawks have also secured their first winning season since 2005, when the program finished 8-7-3, and their first winning record in NE10 Conference play since 2009 (6-5-2).
Saint Anselm enters postseason play having won four of its last five contests, including a four-game winning streak against Assumption (3-0), Saint Michael's (2-1), Bentley (1-0) and Franklin Pierce (2-1). The Hawks have posted a 6-1 record at Melucci Field this season, including a perfect 4-0 mark against conference opponents.
Graduate student goalkeeper David Hood was named the NE10 Goalkeeper of the Week on Monday, Oct. 26, following his performances in the Hawks' victories over Bentley and Franklin Pierce. Hood has appeared in all 15 contests this season, recording 70 saves, a .769 save percentage and three shutouts while posting a 1.45 goals-against average.
Offensively, junior Chance Prouty leads Saint Anselm with 17 points on seven goals and three assists, including three game-winning goals. Prouty recorded a hat trick in the Hawks' 3-0 victory over Assumption on Oct. 7 and scored twice in a 2-1 win against Pace on Sept. 20.
Junior Brian Jones follows with 13 points on five goals and three assists, while Dresens has contributed three goals, including the game-winner against Franklin Pierce.
Saturday's contest will also mark the second consecutive postseason meeting between the Hawks and Ravens. The two programs last met in the 2023 NE10 Semifinals, when Franklin Pierce earned a 3-2 victory. Saint Anselm advanced to that semifinal matchup following a 1-0 double-overtime victory over Saint Rose in the quarterfinal round.
With a win on Saturday, Saint Anselm would advance to the NE10 Semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 4, traveling to face top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University at 7 p.m. The NE10 Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at the highest remaining seed's home field.
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