MANCHESTER, N.H. – Caitlyn Abela's game-high 22 points and seven rebounds supported by Candace Andrews' 21 and six assists led the way for the Saint Anselm College women's basketball team as they defeated the Southern New Hampshire Penmen 78-64 in a Northeast-10 and Queen City Cup matchup on Thursday afternoon. The Hawks improve to 7-13 with a 5-10 conference mark, while the Penmen fall to 10-12 with a 4-11 in-conference record.

Kaila Duarte contributed eight rebounds while recording 10 points in the contest. Ali Glennon also contributed a double-digit point total, with 14, as Saint Anselm had four of five starters reach a double figures.

Victoria Wiseman (Montreal, Quebec) matched her second highest point total of the season leading the Penmen offense with 21 points. Wiseman also led the Penmen on the glass, recording eight rebounds. Brooke Springfield (Jaffrey, N.H.) contributed nine points while recording three assists.  Kaylea Griffin (Green Springs, Ohio) shot 66.7% from the field on her way (4-6) to an eight point and seven rebound performance. Jennifer Shelp (Apalachin, N.Y.) capitalized on three of five field goal attempts during her eight-point effort off the bench.

The first half featured 11 ties and 10 different lead changes. With the Hawks leading 24-22 with 8:09 left in the first half, Wiseman would tie the game at 24 with a layup assisted by Shelp. The score would continue to go back and forth in the first half until an Andrews' jumper would tie the game at 35 for the Hawks with 1:05 remaining in the first. Olivia Conrad (Hanover, Mass.) would make both of her free throw attempts giving the Penmen a two point lead before the Hawks tied the score with 35 seconds remaining on an Andrews layup having both squads go into the break tied at 37.

The Hawks offense scored the first nine points of the second half, giving Saint Anselm a 46-37 lead with 16:44 remaining in the contest. SNHU would pull back within four, 56-52 after a couple of good free throws from Shelp at 11:50 in the second half, however that would be the closest the Penmen would get for the rest of the contest.

The Hawks shot 54.2% from the field while converting on 36.4% of their three point attempts and 71.4% of their free throw attempts.  The Penmen shot 39.7% from the field and knocked down three of 16 three-point attempts, while sinking 11 of 14 shots from the charity stripe. Southern New Hampshire held the edge in rebounding, 36-33, and second chance points, 21-7.

The Penmen return to the Fieldhouse this Saturday for another Northeast-10 Conference matchup against Merrimack College for an afternoon tilt with a 1:30 scheduled tipoff. That game is SNHU's annual "Penmen Pink Day" for breast cancer awareness.