The Hawks failed to get anything going on Saturday Sept. 23 against the third-ranked undefeated powerhouse, Adelphi, as they fall 3-0. It was an offensive struggle as they could only garner one shot on net the entire match.

The team was coming off its first win of the season on Sept. 20 vs St. Michael’s. Goals from junior defender Keith Hill and senior midfielder Jack Heintzelman helped cement a 2-1 road victory over the Purple Knights. Junior goalie Jacob Rostkowski got his second start in net and secured the win for the Hawks.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, the winning momentum did not continue. Adelphi found a way to score within the first ten minutes of the game. Senior forward Andre De Giorgi scored off a rebound for Panthers at the 9:26 mark. This was just the start to a heavy attack-minded game, dominated by Adelphi.   

Senior goalie Helio Meirelles Neto was pounded with nine shots on goal and managed to come away with six saves for the Hawks.

The lone shot on net for Saint Anselm came from the boot of Heintzelman, which nearly tied the game.

The Hawks went into halftime only down 1-0 in what was still a manageable game. Adelphi came out strong after the half, putting two in the back of the net in rapid succession.

The first goal came off a through ball from junior midfielder Stephen Megaloudis to junior forward James Thristino. Less than a minute later came a one timer from senior midfielder Matt Giaconelli to graduate student forward Alex Varkatzas.

The six saves from Neto give him a total of 23 on the year. The shot on goal for Heintzelman was his fifth of the season, for which he has two goals to show for.

Adelphi outshot Saint A’s a total of 18-3 in the affair, a telltale sign to being outmatched. Saint Anselm falls to 1-4-1 with the loss, while Adelphi climbed to an impressive 6-0-1 to remain undefeated this season.

The goalie situation will be one thing to watch going forward. Interestingly enough, the Hawks have yet to lose a game started by Rostkowski. Saint Anselm stands 1-0-1 with the junior in net. On the other hand, despite Neto’s solid play and his experience as a senior athlete, the team is 0-4-0 in games he has started. This is something Coach Bruno Victal may have to consider next time around.

Saint A’s looks to rebound against Franklin Pierce (5-0-1) at home on Tuesday Sept. 26. This will be a good shot to prove their mettle against another tough team. It will be a big game for the Hawks, who are trying to steer their sails in a season that has gone off course thus far.