MANCHESTER, N.H. (May 3, 2021) -- Junior Megyn Ayotte (Guilford, Vt.) went for career-bests in both goals (5) and points (6) on Monday night, but it would not be enough for the Franklin Pierce University women's lacrosse team in the Northeast Division semifinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship at Grappone Stadium. The third-seeded Ravens came up on the short end of a 17-14 decision against the second-seeded and host Hawks of Saint Anselm. Junior Jenna Balboni poured in six goals to lead Saint Anselm to the victory.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce sees its season come to a close at 7-3. Saint Anselm improves to 8-2 and advances to Thursday's divisional final on the road against top-seeded Bentley.

Saint Anselm got the first half started on the right foot with the first three goals of the game. The hosts jumped to a 3-0 lead when Balboni put a free-position shot into the top-right corner just 3:05 into the proceedings. The Hawks struck three time before Franklin Pierce could even attempt a shot at the other end.

The Ravens trailed at 5-1 and 6-2 before they were able to pour in four straight goals, over a span of 4:15, to draw level at 6-6. Junior Kaitlyn Daly (LaGrangeville, N.Y.) scored three of the four, as she opened the run with an attempted pass which wound up in the back of the net anyway, and closed it by burying a centering feed from Ayotte on the left side.

Saint Anselm picked up the next three goals and opened up a 9-6 lead when sophomore Lexi Palmisano put a straight-on free-position shot into the left side of the goal with 3:16 remaining in the half. Franklin Pierce cut the gap to 9-7 heading into halftime when senior Caroline Lounsbury (Franklin, Mass.) dumped a pass from high on the right side into the middle and Ayotte finished it off with 67 seconds left in the stanza.

The second half started much like the first did, with three straight Saint Anselm goals. The Hawks pushed the lead out to 12-7 when Palmisano cut out front from the left side and put a low shot home 5:14 into the period.

The two teams traded goals through the middle section of the second half. Franklin Pierce put home back-to-back free-position shots. Saint Anselm put away a pair of goals to push the lead back out to 14-9. Lounsbury cut it back to 14-11 with two free-position goals of her own.

The Hawks then tallied three of the next four goals to effectively finish off the game. Senior Kelsey Czarnota provided the exclamation mark with 3:34 to play, as she scooped up a loose ball out front and shoveled it home on the backhand for the second of back-to-back scores, to make it a 17-12 game. Ayotte and junior Savannah Ernst (American Fork, Utah) scored in the final 40 seconds to cut the final deficit to 17-14.

Ayotte (5-1-6), Ernst (4-0-4), Daly (3-0-3) and Lounsbury (2-1-3) led the way for the Franklin Pierce offense. Daly and Ernst snagged a team-best five draw controls apiece, while junior Madisyn Van Horn (Pulaski, N.Y.) scooped up a game-high four ground balls.

It was "The Balboni Show" for Saint Anselm, as the junior piled up six goals on the night. She was supported offensively by freshman Jess Sullivan (2-2-4), Czarnota (3-0-3), Palmisano (3-0-3) and senior Annie Richards (1-2-3). Czarnota led all players with seven draw controls, while sophomore Meghan Cotraro matched Van Horn with four ground balls. Senior Caroline Guzzardi caused a pair of turnovers.

Senior Casey Butera (West Milford, N.J.) finished with nine saves against 26 shots on goal and suffered the loss (4-1) in the Franklin Pierce crease. Junior Grace Young (8-2) stopped seven of 21 shots to pick up the win for Saint Anselm.