MANCHESTER, NH. – The No. 1 Pace University women's lacrosse team made the trip up to Manchester, NH to face off with No. 23 Saint Anselm College Wednesday evening. It is a game that will be remembered for the defensive efforts by both sides, but Angelina Porcello scored three late goals that proved to be the difference as the Setters held off the Hawks, 9-6.

Pace keeps their unblemished record, moving to 15-0 and 9-0 in Northeast 10 play. Pace stays on the road for their next contest, heading to No. 18 Bentley on Saturday, Apr. 27 at noon.

After yielding the first goal of the game, Nikki Mottes earned a free position shot with just over 8:30 left and ripped the shot from the line to tie the game at 1-1. 

Saint Anselm responded with a goal of their own a couple of minutes later, and while multiple Setters got great looks at the net on multiple occasions, Pace would finally break through thanks to a beautiful pass from Mottes to find a cutting Margaret Flocco to knot the affair up at 2-2.

Angelina Porcello scored the first goal of the second quarter, working her way through traffic to earn a free position shot. On the ensuing attempt, she charged the net and beat the goalie high to gain an advantage. The Mottes-Flocco connection delivered yet again, with another great find by Mottes to extend the lead to 4-2 with 2:50 remaining.

As the two teams broke for the half, the Setter defense made their presence felt, with the Hawks committing 16 turnovers, and Porcello forcing four of them on her own. Saint Anselm tied the game up with two quick goals in the third quarter, including capitalizing on a Setter miscue during a clear attempt.

In need of a goal, Flocco delivered while taking hard contact but snuck a shot past the goalie to regain a 5-4 lead about halfway through the third quarter. The Hawks got the goal back by converting a rebound to return the score to a deadlocked state, 5-5.

Saint Anselm scored in the final minute of the third quarter as the ball just rolled into the back of the net after multiple Setters failed to secure the loose ball, taking a 6-5 lead into the final quarter.

In need of a goal, Flocco switched it up and assisted on a goal as Sydney Juvelier was left unchecked right in front of the net who finished high to tie the game at 6-6.

Porcello delivered a clutch goal a couple of minutes later, utilizing a jab step in to create some space and following a dodge, finished to take a 7-6 lead with 8:27 left in the game. Porcello bumped the lead up to 8-6 following a timeout as she used the right hand to score yet again. The Eastchester, N.Y. native put the Hawks away with 2:07 left with one more goal, unleashing a flurry of moves for her 49^th goal of the season to take a 9-6 lead.

Porcello finished with four goals, two ground balls, three draw controls, and five caused turnovers. Delilah Doyle caused three turnovers while securing two ground balls. Samantha Tanguay out-dueled Elizabeth Driscoll, allowing six goals while making seven saves, including blanking Saint Anselm in the second and fourth quarters.