EXETER, N.H. - Led by four points from both Courtney Ackland (Perth, Western Australia/Churchlands) and Kathryn Campbell (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield), the nationally-ranked No. 4 University of New Haven women's lacrosse team defeated No. 11 Saint Anselm 9-5 at Phillips Exeter Academy on Saturday afternoon. Ackland led the way with three goals and an assist in the Chargers third win over a top 15 team this year.

New Haven improves to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Hawks drop to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

With the victory, head coach Jen Fallon won her 100th career game at New Haven. 

Ackland added a ground ball and a draw control. Campbell netted one goal and three assists, while also contributing four draw controls, three grounds balls and a caused turnover. Corinne Fisher (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) was the only other Charger to score multiple points with two goals in the win. The Jackson, N.J. native added a team-high seven ground balls, three draw controls and three caused turnovers. Nicole Belanger (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon), Ashley Travis (LaFayette, N.Y./LaFayette ) and Caitlin O'Brien (Branford, Conn./Branford) rounded out scoring with one goal each. 

Marissa McDermott (Longmeadow, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson Academy) played the entire 60 minutes between the pipes and recorded her second win of the season with six saves. 

As a team, the Chargers out-shot the Hawks 26-17 and held an 11-5 advantage in draw controls. UNH also led 27-19 in ground balls and turned the ball over four fewer times, 21-17.

After a scoreless opening nine minutes, Fisher gave the Chargers a 1-0 lead with an unassisted goal at the 20:52 mark. After three unaswered Saint Anselm goals in the next 10 minutes, the Hawks held a 3-1 lead with 10:56 left in the first half. In the final three minutes, New Haven regained the momentum with a pair of Ackland goals in the final three minutes. The Perth, Western Australia native evened the score at 3-3 with 1:05 left int he first stanza.

The Chargers scored the goals in the first 19 minutes of the second half to take a 9-3 lead with 10:25 remaining. Six different players scored during the stretch, including Ackland's third of the game which proved to be the game-winner. Saint Anselm tallied two goals in the final seven minutes to narrow the Chargers final margin of victory to four.

The Blue and Gold return to action on Wednesday, March 25 when it travels to Southern New Hampshire in another NE-10 contest. Game time in Manchester, N.H. is set for 5 p.m.