RINDGE, N.H. (April 26, 2021) -- It was Monday night football, of the European variety, at Sodexo Field, as the Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team and Saint Anselm locked horns for a non-conference spring tilt. Saint Anselm struck twice in the opening 12 minutes and added a late insurance marker to come away with a 3-1 victory. Senior Keyla Gonzalez Jaen (San Jose, Costa Rica) scored the lone goal for the Ravens, who honored their senior class prior to the game.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-1-0, while Saint Anselm opens its spring campaign at 1-0-0. The two teams are scheduled to meet again on Thursday at Saint Anselm.

Much of Monday's scoring came in the first quarter-hour, as the two sides combined for three goals in a span of just 5:55. Saint Anselm opened the scoring in the ninth minute, after sophomore Kathryn White wound up with the ball moving from the left wing towards the middle outside the top of the penalty area. She eventually pumped her shot towards the right side of the net. Franklin Pierce freshman keeper Kasey Donnelly (New Milford, Conn.) got her hands to the ball, but could not keep it out of the goal, as the Hawks opened the scoring.

Saint Anselm doubled its lead off of a corner kick in the 12^th minute. Freshman Olivia Gotobed took the kick from the left-wing side and sent it into the middle of the penalty area. Junior Marissa Greene was able to get her head to the service and redirect the ball into the lower-right corner to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Franklin Pierce got on the board just 3:19 later, in the 15^th minute, on a strong individual effort from Gonzalez Jaen. She battled to gain control of the ball outside the top of the 18-yard box, then made a move around her defender. Once clear, she was able to put her shot away to halve the deficit.

From there, things would go without another goal until the 87^th minute, when Saint Anselm picked up an insurance marker with just 3:24 to play. Again the Hawks capitalized on a corner from the left-wing side. This time, the service landed with the Franklin Pierce defense, which tried to head the ball clear. However, the clearance attempt fell right to the feet of sophomore Grace Foley some 25 yards in front of the right post. She controlled, stepped into her shot from there and buried it to create the 3-1 final.

Donnelly (2-1-0) finished with four saves against seven shots on goal in the losing effort in front of the Franklin Pierce net. Junior Mackenzie O'Neill (1-0-0) made one save against two shots in the first half to pick up the win for Saint Anselm. Sophomore Kate Macaluso took over for the second half and stopped all three shots she faced.