SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team fell by a 3-0 count to Saint Anselm College in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action at Cairns Arena on Saturday. The Purple Knights are 1-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the league, while the Hawks improve to 2-0 and 2-0.

Saint Michael's junior Abby Burke (Bedford, Mass./The Rivers School) collected a season-high 46 saves to record the fourth 40-save outing of her career. Senior Kaly Spilhaus (Bourne, Mass./Groton School) won 10 face-offs, while sophomore Jillian Witwicki (Danvers, Mass./Pingree School) won five draws.

Senior Alex Kazmer (Crystal Lake, Ill./Chicago Young Amercians) had one goal and assist for Saint Anselm, while classmate Sarah Geisinger (Willoughby, Ohio/Gilmour Academy) and junior Alex Starzyk (Enfield, Conn./Williston Northampton) both tallied one goal. Juniors Alison Butler (Danvers, Mass./Saint Mary's), Alison Quinn (Canton, Mass./Southfield) and Meaghan Spurling (Byfield, Mass./Brewster Academy) and sophomore Ashley Moran (Woburn, Mass./Woburn) each posted one assist. Junior Hannah Synnott (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) registered a four-save shutout.

Burke kicked away shots from junior Victoria Shea (Middleton, Mass./Saint Mark's School) twice in the opening two minutes before denying Quinn at 3:50 and deflecting junior Martha Findley's (Duxbury, Mass./Cushing Academy) shot from the middle of the slot at 7:15. Five minutes later, Quinn was rejected by Burke's left pad on back-to-back shots. The Hawks then broke through with two goals in 58 seconds. Kazmer scooted down the right side and sent a shot five-hole at 13:19 before Starzyk snapped a shot over Burke's left shoulder while on the power play at 14:17. Purple Knight junior Athena Akiki (Allendale, N.J./New Jersey Rockets) ripped a mid-range shot just before the horn.

The game remained at 2-0 margin through the second period despite Saint Anselm's 16-1 shot advantage in the stanza. Two minutes into the period, sophomore Jackie Guy (Saint Louis, Mo./Boston Shamrocks) fired a point shot that Burke snagged. While on the penalty kill, Saint Michael's junior Sarah Bagley (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) collected a defensive zone loose puck and skated up ice before sending a chest high shot on Synnott at 8:22. Less than five minutes later, Burke flashed the glove to deny Quinn. The hosts won a pair of face-offs during a late-period power play but could not register a shot.

Saint Anselm continued its offensive surge during a 17-shot third period. Burke made glove saves on Spurling and Butler, respectively, before squeezing the puck between her chest and left shoulder on a point-blank shot from first-year Sara McNamara (Danbury, Conn./Mid-Fairfield Stars) at 11:11. Guy fired a point shot that Burke stopped with her mask with 5:16 to go. After gaining a late player advantage, Saint Anselm extended its lead to 3-0 as Geisinger sent an ice-level power-play shot past Burke's left skate with 2:17 remaining. Saint Michael's was held shotless while skating on the power play to end the game.

Saint Michael's is back at home next weekend for a pair of games, beginning with a 7 p.m. Friday contest against the University of Southern Maine.