Saint Anselm College

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The No. 7 Saint Anselm College field hockey team dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 2 Kutztown University on Saturday morning at Grappone Stadium in the first meeting between the Hawks and Golden Bears since the 2024 National Championship.

Highlights

• Senior Meghan Smith scored her fourth goal of the season and led the squad with two shots.
• Junior Leila Härtel assisted on the Hawks' tally.
• Mackenzie Wehrum made nine saves for Saint Anselm. She helped keep the Golden Bears, who averaged 8.67 goals per game entering the contest, to one goal.
• Saint Anselm registered six shots and five penalty corners.
• With the loss, the Hawks are now 2-3 all-time against Kutztown. The series dates back to the 2014 season. This is the first game played in the series at Grappone Stadium, with three meetings in Kutztown and one in Gaffney, S.C. for the national title game in 2024.

How it Happened

Saint Anselm and Kutztown battled through a scoreless opening half, with the Hawks managing two shots and one penalty corner through the first 30 minutes. Wehrum made three saves, while sophomore Eliza Doyon made a defensive save on Kutztown's first shot, to keep the Golden Bears' top-ranked offense off the scoreboard in the first half.

Kutztown controlled possession and pressure in the third quarter, registering 10 shots and earning eight penalty corners. Wehrum turned aside two shots during the period, while the Saint Anselm defense held Kutztown scoreless through 45 minutes.

The Golden Bears finally broke through with 3:56 remaining in regulation when Marlee Fetrow converted a chance following a penalty corner, with Rachel Galasso providing the assist.

Kutztown doubled its advantage just 47 seconds later when Anna Harris scored off an assist from Bree Zoccolo to make it a 2-0 game.

Saint Anselm answered 35 seconds later. The Hawks earned a penalty corner, and Meghan Smith found the back of the cage off a feed from Härtel to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 2:34 remaining.

The Hawks continued to pressure in the final minutes, earning three more penalty corners and putting two shots on goal, but Kutztown goalkeeper Tess Adolf made a save on Smith's final attempt to preserve the Golden Bears' 2-1 victory.

Up Next

Saint Anselm (2-2) returns to action Wednesday, Sept. 16 when the Hawks travel to face their cross-town rivals in Southern New Hampshire University (2-1) for a 6 p.m. non-league contest at Larkin Field.