RINDGE, N.H. (April 19, 2021) - The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team wrapped up its abbreviated spring 2021 campaign on Monday night, with a sterner test than in its previous three games. This time, Saint Anselm, the 2019 national runner-up, came calling at Sodexo Field. The Ravens hung with the Hawks in the first half, but a pair of fourth-quarter goals proved to be the difference, as Saint Anselm took a 3-1 victory.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce wraps up its season at 3-1. For Saint Anselm, it was the team's first action since the 2019 national title game, as the Hawks moved to 1-0.

The two teams traded first-quarter goals. In the seventh minute, Saint Anselm was awarded a penalty stroke, as Franklin Pierce senior goalkeeper Olivia Barnes (Greenwich, N.Y.) made multiple saves against junior Emilie Martin at the left post, but ultimately wound up covering the ball. Sophomore Shelby Dunn stepped to the spot to take the stroke and slotted it into the right side of the net.

Franklin Pierce answered in the 14^th minute, in the aftermath of a corner play. After the ball was sent into the middle of the circle, a scrambled ensued, with the keeper, the defense and the offense all involved. Freshman Annie Corbett (Oakland, Maine), who had inserted the ball on the corner, was the first to get her stick to it and poked it off to the right side for freshman Anna Beck (Attleboro, Mass.). Beck had traffic between her and the goal, but was able to steer her shot through it to pick up her fourth goal of the spring.

The Ravens held their own in the first half and hung around with a Saint Anselm team which held advantages of 11-5 in shot attempts and 9-3 in shots on goal at the intermission. The second half was a different story, as the Hawks turned up the pressure. Saint Anselm posted second-half margins of 12-4 in shot attempts and 7-1 in shots on goal, on the way to full-time advantages of 23-9 and 16-4, respectively.

The Franklin Pierce defense was able to hold the line until the fourth quarter, when the Hawks broke through twice to secure the win. In the 50^th minute, junior Jackie Gaumer sent a long feed into the circle from the left side of the midfield. Sophomore Shelby Dunn was able to gather the ball and usher it to fellow sophomore Maggie Malloy, who pushed a shot past Barnes to put Saint Anselm ahead to stay.

The Hawks added an insurance marker in the 56^th minute, after junior Sarah Bagley sent the ball into the middle of the circle. In a battle for the ball with Barnes, freshman Shannon Walsh was able to get her stick to it first and shuttle it to the back of the cage to create the 3-1 final.

Barnes (3-1) finished with 12 saves against 15 shots on her goal in the losing effort for Franklin Pierce. Freshman netminder Mackenzie McConnell (1-0) stopped three of four shots at the other end to pick up the win.