WATERBURY, Conn. – A stretch of three unanswered goals along with senior defender Riley DiGilio netting one goal in each half for Saint Anselm College would be the difference maker in the 2024 opener for Post University Women's Soccer on Thursday afternoon at LaMoy Field. An early 1-0 lead for the Eagles on an own goal by the Hawks briefly gave Post momentum before ultimately falling behind and seeing their comeback fall short in their 4-3 loss.

THE BASICS 
Post University 3, Saint Anselm College 4 

Post University (0-1-0)

Saint Anselm College (1-0-0)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
In a game with many twists and turns, it was the Eagles getting on the board in an unorthodox way as freshman midfielder Meghan Deneen's pass to sophomore goalkeeper Maggie Warner in net was mishandled, rolling into the goal mouth to give Post the 1-0 lead just 2:12 into the match. But just 10 minutes later, the equalizer would come for senior forward Josie Pecor after an intercepted pass by senior midfielder Erin Rutherford near midfield.

Rutherford carried the ball around a couple of Eagle defenders before locating Pecor one-on-one with sophomore goalkeeper Aryn Nisbet, beating her around the left post for the tap-in goal. DiGilio would be the next Hawk to get on the scoresheet after senior midfielder Allison Silverstein fed junior midfielder Zarina Pinto down the left side. Pinto's shot would beat Nisbet to the right side but roll wide of the net where DiGilio was to clean it up for the goal.

Rounding out the scoring in the first half for Saint Anselm was junior forward Nina Muir as she scored in the 42nd minute when she ripped a shot from about 20 yards out near the right sideline to beat Nisbet in the high left corner for the 3-1 advantage at the half. Junior defender Nina Cuccovia and sophomore forward Camryn Doyle assisted in getting Muir the ball in open space for the shot.

But coming out of the half, the Eagles made some noise early as graduate midfielder Alyanna Beaudoin, a transfer from Saint Anselm, fed a pass to sophomore forward Jordyn Calas down the left side of the offensive zone. Calas located senior forward Anna Eicke in the center of the field for a one-on-one attempt against Warner which she converted to bring Post back within one, 3-2.

Completing the four-goal afternoon for the Hawks was DiGilio again was Pecor kicked the ball deep into the box where junior defender Gabrielle Chisholm bounced it over to DiGilio on the open right side for the two-goal cushion, 4-2. Not going down easily, Beaudoin would bring Post back within one with just over two minutes left in the game as Eicke's corner kick was headed by the graduate student to make it a one-goal game once more where it would remain when the clock struck zero.

BY THE NUMBERS 

• In the game, Post University was outshot 30-4 overall and 13-3 in shots on goal – Post converted all three shots on goal that they had in the affair
• This is the first time since September 10th, 2023 versus D'Youville University in which Post University has scored three goals in a game at home – Last season the Eagles scored three goals in two games last year, once against D'Youville and once on the road against Bloomfield College
• In her first game of the season, Aryn Nisbet had nine saves on 13 shot attempts, the nine saves tie her career high which she had last year in her first collegiate game against the University of New Haven (1-0 loss)
• Post University is 0-2-0 all-time against Saint Anselm, having allowed four goals in both matches – The Eagles lost the first matchup back in 2019, 4-1, on the road

WHO'S NEXT 
The Eagles return to LaMoy Field on Monday afternoon at 1:30 PM to face Saint Michael's College, a team that they are 0-2-0 all-time against. This will be the first matchup since 2017 between the two teams and second matchup at LaMoy Field in the head-to-head with that last one being a 2-1 loss for Post at home.