No. 3 West Chester Stunned By Saint Anselm, 3-2

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Saint Anselm's Allia Connolly scored on a penalty corner two minutes into the second half, and then the Hawks' goalkeeper Katherine Sears saved the day in the final two minutes to help visiting Saint Anselm College to a stunning upset over third-ranked West Chester, 3-2, on the road at sun-splashed Vonnie Gros Field Sunday.
 
West Chester (1-1) had its opportunities in the waning moments of the game, but the host Golden Rams came up empty-handed on four corner opportunities and one penalty stroke. Dayle Paustian's (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) stroke with 1:33 remaining was kick-saved by Sears. Saint Anselm (1-1) was able to possess the ball for much of the remainder of the period and clear the ball down into West Chester's end to secure the win.
 
It marked the first time since West Chester re-classified to Division II that the Golden Rams lost to a team from the North Region – ending an eight-game winning streak against the North that dated back to 2011.
 
The Golden Rams held a decided advantage in most of the statistical categories. However, the Hawks took full advantage of their opportunities, unlike their hosts. Two of Saint Anselm's goals came off of penalty corners with the middle goal the only field-play tally for the visitors.
 
Sears was the first star of the game, making 10 saves in the Hawks' cage. Senior right back, Jennifer Brown, was also credited with a pair of defensive saves on corner opportunities for the Golden Rams. West Chester had 14 corners to Saint Anselm's 4. The Hawks were 2-for-4 on their opportunities while the Rams were 1-for-14.
 
Junior Rachal Toppi (Glassboro, N.J./Glassboro) scored her third goal of the season to put the hosts on top first. She banged home a touch pass from Marnie Kusakavitch (Pittston, Pa./Holy Redeemer) in the 12th minute of play to give West Chester a 1-0 lead.
 
Saint Anselm's Hannah Friend tied things up in the 23rd minute off a corner, before teammate Maddie Bressler gave the visitors the lead five minutes later off a feed from Friend. Almost one minute later, Paustian knotted the game at 2-apiece off a corner play.
 
That's how things stood heading into halftime. Coming out of the break, Connolly deflected a shot from Leika Scott into the back of the Rams' cage for the final tally of the contest.
 
Paustian hit the crossbar with two minutes left, and Katie Thompson (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills) hit the post with 1:33 left, which led to the penalty stroke when Saint Anselm covered the ball in the circle off that rebound.
 
West Chester travels to LIU-Post on Long Island this coming Wednesday for a non-league tilt with the Pioneers.