Anna Swyers netted the first Siena Women's Soccer hat trick in 11 years – scoring the tying and go-ahead goals in the span of just 3:28 with less than six minutes to go – as the Saints stunned defending conference champion Sacred Heart 3-2 in Connecticut.
Siena (7-3-1, 3-2) overcame two separate one-goal deficits – the second of which initiated with 14:10 remaining – to steal a massive three points on the road, and secure sweet revenge on the field where their 2025 season came to an end in the conference quarterfinals. The Saints scored their first-ever result in six tries on Park Avenue Field, while also snapping a six-match winless streak (0-4-2) overall against their new conference foes, defeating Sacred Heart (7-3, 2-2) for the first time in 22 years.
Rylee McGhee opened the scoring in the 12
th minute for the Pioneers, while reserve Elizebeth Kowlski put Sacred Heart back in front in the 76
th minute in a wide-open offensive affair.
But Swyers and Siena were not to be denied.
Swyers drew the Saints even for the first time in the 29
th minute.
Briana Neary sent in a cross from the left which
Catherine Rogers redirected off the keeper and Swyers buried.
Then the final 5:29 happened.
The Canadian connection leveled the score in the 85
th minute as
Tiana Mainella sent in a long service from 30 yards out to her countrywoman who redirected it in. Initially ruled offside, VAR overturned the decision.
Swyers then sealed her career performance, burying a free kick from 20 yards away inside the top left corner with only 2:01 remaining. The hat trick was the 12
th all-time in program history, albeit the first for a Siena player since Andrea Pereira in a 7-0 win vs. Saint Peter's on Sept. 19, 2015.
Swyers, who has emerged in a major way during her junior season, has now scored at least one goal in four of the last five matches. She is now tied with Rogers for the team lead with 15 points after having totaled just two spanning her first 27 collegiate matches entering this fall.
The Pioneers held a 20-15 advantage in shots – although the Saints harbored an 11-7 edge in shots on target – and a 5-4 margin in corners.
Cate Burns made five saves for Siena which snapped a mini two-game losing streak.
Reigning Tournament MVP and Preseason First Team All-Metro goalkeeper Kyran Thievon stopped eight shots for Sacred Heart. Thievon, who entered play ranked 24
th nationally in goals against average (0.53), saw her season goals allowed total double after having bequeathed just three scores spanning her first nine matches.
Following a 10-day gap between contests, the Saints will have little time to savor the victory with Canisius coming to town in just three days' time. Siena hosts the Golden Griffins Wednesday at 4 p.m. in their first match on Hickey Field in what will then be 18 days.
