The Saint Anselm Hawks Field Hockey team just wrapped up what many would say was a dominant season. They finished their season at an impressive 14-7. However, within the NE10, the Hawks flexed a dominant 11-2 record which was tied for the best in the conference

Throughout the season the Hawks have been competitive and worked as a team to find ways to win. The Hawks started their season on a difficult foot, falling to the likes of three top 10 teams in the nation; starting with a loss at number 1 ranked Shippensburg, followed by at number 7 ranked Millersville, and then to 3 ranked East Stroudsburg. 

The Hawks were off to an 0-3 start against tough competition. However, this stretch gave the Hawks what they needed to hit their stride and dominate the NE10. The Hawks came out of their rough start with an 8-0 rout over Saint Michael’s college. In the victory, Forward Maddie Davis piled up a total of 4 assists. 

Through their next 7 games, the Hawks went 5-2 which put them at 5-5 overall. However, the Hawks began to hit their stride after being .500 through 10 games. The Hawks won their last 8 games of their regular season, including a 2-1 overtime victory over No 6 ranked Assumption. In the gritty victory, the Hawks were trailing 1-0 entering the 4th and needed a goal. Luckily, Davis got the tying goal off of an Amanda Lewandowski assist. 

The Hawks were entering the postseason playing with grit and teamwork. The Hawks began their quest for a NE10 Championship against SNHU in a 2-1 Quarterfinal victory. However, the Hawks playoff fell short, as the Hawks fell to Adelphi in the Semifinal in a 2-1 overtime thriller. 

While the Hawks fell short on winning the NE10 Championship, Head Coach Carolyn King-Robitaille said that this season has been “Gratifying”. Throughout the season the Hawks have shown that it takes a team to be able to compete for championships. The Hawks couldn’t get where they got without dominance on both ends of the field. 

Forward Maggie Malloy went on to lead the NE10 in goals (19), and points (45). Malloy was also second in the conference in shots with 94. Along with Malloy, Forward Maddie Davis was second in the NE10 in assists (12). Defensively, goalie Mackenzie McConnell led the NE10 in save percentage with an impressive 0.813, and she also allowed the second lowest goals with 17. McConnell also led the NE10 in goals against average with 0.87. 

This team is strong offensively and defensively, when asked about what the team’s greatest strength is, Coach King-Robitaille said, “Our biggest strength this season was our team cohesion and our unwavering commitment to a common goal, which was getting better and reaching our potential.” 

This clearly shows that Coach King-Robitaille values the team working together and winning together regardless of what challenge faces them. Going forward, the Hawks Field Hockey team will look to continue to find significant success within the NE10 and in the overall NCAA. 

When asked about the expectations going forward and into next year, Coach King-Robitaille said, “Every season brings its own unique challenges, changes, and opportunities. While we will certainly lean on the building blocks we put together this year, we will have a lot of new people stepping into new roles, which is exciting. We expect this group to compete hard, pursue growth on and off the field, and come together to reach their potential.”

Coach King-Robitaille has full faith in her team going forward, the Hawks Field Hockey looks poised to continue to be a superpower in the NE10 and will look to build off of this successful season with the hopes of bringing a NE10 Championship to the Hilltop.