The Saint Anselm women’s ice hockey team is off to an 8-1-2 start to this season. Despite their start, the Lady Hawks  still look to improve.

Coach Kerstin Matthews told The Crier,  “My expectations for the rest of the season is to continue to develop and improve.  We need to play 60 minutes every night and we are still working to find that.” If these past few games were any indication of what the rest of the season will be like, the Lady Hawks have a lot to look forward to.

On Nov. 22, St. A’s faced off against on the road Plymouth State College. Senior defenseman Martha Findley scored a power play goal within the first two minutes of play. which was assisted by Alison Quinn and Alison Butler to put Saint A’s ahead early. The goal was shortly followed by another Hawk, senior forward from Alex Starzyk assisted by Sara McNamara and Ashley Moran. Plymouth State answered with a goal of its own. At the end of the first period, St. Anselm was ahead 2-1.

In the second period, Saint Anselm took control of the game and scoring three more goals to grab a  5-1 lead heading into the third. Alison Butler, Amanda Conger and Maura Kieft all found the back of the net. In the third period, Plymouth St. was able to score about half-way through cutting the deficit to 5-2. At the end of the game with less than a minute to to, the Hawks added another goal from Amanda Conger winning with a final score of 6-2 .

On Friday, Dec. 1, the Hawks faced off against Holy Cross in a rematch of last year’s NEHC title game. In the first period, after several shot attempts Saint Anselm’s Sara McNamara scored her forth goal of the year from Alex Starzyk and Megan Klaus late in the period. The Hawks would leave the ice ahead 1-0. In the second period, Saint A’s committed a penalty giving Holy Cross a power play that they took advantage of tying the game. With Saint A’s receiving another penalty mid-way through the second period, Holy Cross once again scored on the power play taking a 2-1 lead.

In the final eight minutes of the period, Saint A’s was able to score twice to regain the advantage at 3-2.  Alex Starzyk stormed out of the penalty box putting home a loose puck to tie the contest. Alex Starzyk achieved a milestone in the game reaching the 100 point club for her collegiate career.  Less than 3 minutes later Freshman Amanda Conger netted the game-winner for the Hawks. Saint A’s left in the second period ahead by 1 with a score of 3-2 which would end up being the eventual final score. Neither team was able to score in the 3rd period.

Saturday, Dec. 2, the Lady Hawks played Bowdoin in a 2-2 tie. Bowdoin had the only goal of the first period and was able to score early in the second period putting them ahead 2-0. St. A’s answered with two goals of their own late in the second and third period. The goals were both scored by Maura Kieft and assisted by Kaitlyn Spillane. After an overtime where both teams were unable to score, the game was finished in a draw with the final score being 2-2.

Amanda Conger won NEHC co-Rookie of the Week this past week. She had the game-winning goal in the Hawks 3-2 victory over Holy Cross. That goal was her fifth of the season.

The women most recently tied Colby 2-2 on Dec 6.