RINDGE, N.H. (December 12, 2021) -- Nine games into the season, the Franklin Pierce University women's basketball team finally returned to the Fieldhouse for its home opener on Sunday afternoon. Visiting Saint Anselm spoiled the party though, as senior Peyton Steinman went for 28 points and eight rebounds, to lead the Hawks to a 75-69 victory in Northeast-10 Conference play. Senior Emma Carter (Bristol, Vt.) led three Ravens in double digits in defeat, with 18 points.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 5-4 (1-2 NE10), while Saint Anselm improves to 6-4 (2-2 NE10). The Ravens will make the return trip to Saint Anselm in mid-January.

Steinman led all players with 28 points, and was followed by Carter and Saint Anselm sophomore Gabby Turco, both of who scored 18. Steinman also added eight rebounds, which trailed only the nine from Franklin Pierce senior Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.).

Franklin Pierce shot 45% from the field (30-for-66) and 36% from three-point range (4-for-11), while Saint Anselm shot 46% from the floor (27-for-58), but only 22% from beyond the arc (2-for-9). The Hawks did a far better job of getting to the foul line than the Ravens, with a 22-7 advantage in free-throw attempts. Saint Anselm knocked down 19 of those 22 attempts (86%), and the 19-5 edge in points from the charity stripe more than covered the final margin.

Saint Anselm came out flying and started the game with a 6-0 run, before the Ravens could find their feet. The Hawks would control the first half, as they led 22-18 after the first quarter and 40-33 at half.

A quick basket to start the second half gave the Hawks a nine-point lead, which would be their largest of the day. The Ravens began to battle back from there. A layup by sophomore Ines Gimenez Monserrat (Mallorca, Spain) sparked a 9-0 Franklin Pierce run, to level the score at 42-42. The quarter continued to see the Ravens earn a pair of one-point leads, their first of the day, before the Hawks regained control and ended the quarter ahead, 54-49. In all, there would be 14 ties and 12 lead changes in the game.

Franklin Pierce battled back in the fourth and brought the game level again, before a Sulejmani layup gave the Ravens a slim lead. The margin would not hold however, as the Hawks responded with a nine-point run of their own inside the final four minutes, which created a deficit too large for the Ravens to overcome.

Sulejmani rounded out her stat line with nine points, nine rebounds and six assists. Monserrat snagged six rebounds to go with her 10 points. Senior Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) went for 14 points and five rebounds off the bench.

It was very much a two-pronged attack on the Saint Anselm side of the ball. Steinman finished with 28 points and eight rebounds, while Turco added seven boards to go with her 18 points. Both dished out three assists.

Next up for the Ravens is another home matchup, this time against NE10 opponent Stonehill at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15 in the Fieldhouse.