RINDGE, N.H. (September 27, 2022) -- The tempo was high at Sodexo Field on Tuesday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team and Saint Michael's combined for 30 shot attempts, including 21 shots on goal. Unfortunately for the Ravens, the home team wound up on the short side of things and suffered a 3-2 defeat in the Northeast-10 Conference contest. A 51^st-minute goal from junior Bridgie Loughlin stood as the winner for visiting Saint Michael's.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 0-6 (0-2 NE10), while Saint Michael's improves to 1-5 (1-1 NE10).

Things were lively right from the get-go on Tuesday, as the two teams traded goals in a span of 2:43 in the first quarter. In the sixth minute, an infraction in the Franklin Pierce goalmouth saw Saint Michael's earn its first penalty stroke of the season. Sophomore Addy Fenton took the attempt and lifted it into the left side of the net for her first goal of the campaign.

Franklin Pierce had the answer in the ninth minute. Sophomore Rebecca Phillips (West Amwell, N.J.) brought the ball deep down the right wing and hit a long cross into the circle, which skipped its way through traffic. The ball eventually found its way to senior Alicia Hottleman (Mansfield, Mass.), who had the one-time finish five yards in front of the left post for her first of the season. It was Hottleman's first goal since she scored twice against American International on April 11, 2021, as a sophomore.

The second quarter went without further scoring, but Saint Michael's claimed the lead for good early in the third. In the 36^th minute, the Purple Knights created a 3-on-3 coming in from the midfield line, and things only got worse from there for the defense. Freshman Samantha McGrath was able to slip a pass through the back line to Loughlin, who was now at the head of a 2-on-0 with junior Madeleine Biondi inside the circle. Loughlin held for a moment, then shuffled the ball off to the left for Biondi, who had an easy finish on her first of the year.

Saint Michael's used a broken play in the aftermath of a 51^st-minute penalty corner to pick up an insurance marker early in the fourth quarter. After re-collecting the ball, the Purple Knights got it to McGrath at the top of the circle. She reversed her stick and fired a pass right down the middle of the circle to the penalty spot, for Loughlin. Loughlin received, turned and buried her second of the season from there.

Franklin Pierce would get one back just 2:37 later, on a corner in the 53^rd minute, but could get no closer. Senior Christine Jarowicz (Kennebunk, Maine), who matched her career high with six shot attempts in the game, was the catalyst on the play, after the Ravens got the ball to her on the left side. Her shot was turned aside by Saint Michael's junior Courtney Watt, but wound up creating the goal anyway. The shot popped high in the air in the goalmouth off of Watt's pads, and sophomore Caity Hazley (Kingston, Mass.) was able to knock it out of midair for her team-leading third of the season.

The Ravens could muster only one shot in the remaining 7:16 though, as Watt made one final save against junior Anna Beck (Attleboro, Mass.) in the final 90 seconds to preserve the 3-2 victory for Saint Michael's.

Senior MacKenzie Potvin (Goffstown, N.H.) finished with eight saves against 11 shots and suffered the loss (0-3) in front of the Franklin Pierce net. Watt (1-2) made eight saves as well, against 10 shots, in the win for Saint Michael's.

The Ravens hit the road on Saturday, Oct. 1, for a trip to NE10 foe New Haven. Game time is set for 1 p.m. in West Haven, Conn.