MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Saint Michael's College women's soccer team lost its season opener at Saint Anselm College, 1-0, on Friday, yielding only an 83rd-minute tally during the opening round of the second annual Catholic Cup at Melucci Field. Thirteen of the teams' past 14 meetings have now been decided by two goals or less.

The Purple Knights take on defending Cup champion Assumption College on Saturday during the 1 p.m. consolation game while the Hawks, who were also opening their season, play Stonehill College in the title tilt.

Senior Aubrey Ouellet (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) came away with one save for the visitors. First-year Alexis Elowitch (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored for Saint Anselm, sophomore Cassie Quattropani (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) had two first-half stops, and senior Gabriella Primera (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) posted one save in the second half while corralling the win.

The Purple Knights fired off the game's first two shots and held the hosts without an attempt until the 28th minute, as senior Olivia Biron (Saint Albans, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans) and sophomore Michaela Horne (Southboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) were denied in the second and 20th minutes, respectively. Saint Anselm took eight of the final 11 tries over the course of the last 17:02 of the period, with none making it on target.

Ouellet kept the game scoreless in the second half, as a shot blocked by a Purple Knight field player led to a follow-up chance in the 58th minute that the goalkeeper turned away. Sophomore Alana Houlihan's (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) 70th-minute bid was turned away by Primera before the hosts went ahead in the final 10 minutes. Junior Rachel Gillies (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) crossed from the far right wing out to the left wing, finding Elowitch for a header at 82:31. That proved to be the final shot in the game that made it on net for either squad.