RINDGE, N.H. (November 3, 2000) - Tanja Pihlblad (Lonsboda, Sweden) scored a goal in each half Friday as the Franklin Pierce women's soccer team fended off Merrimack, 2-1, in the semifinals of the Northeast-10 Conference tournament.

The second-seeded Ravens (15-2-2) move into Sunday's championship against top-seeded Southern Connecticut State University at New Haven, Conn. (1 p.m., Jess Dow Field). The undefeated Owls (19-0) moved on with a 3-0 win over fifth-seeded St. Rose.

Pihlblad, a senior co-captain, put the Ravens ahead in the 11th minute when she collected a short chip pass from junior midfielder Jenny Petronis (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) and scored with a shot that just cleared the out-stretched reach of Merrimack goalkeeper Alison Skoglund (Haverhill, Mass.).

The defending NCAA Division II champions held that lead through the first half and went ahead 2-0 in the 61st minute when Pihlblad tucked in the rebound on a three-shot flurry started off a free kick by sophomore back Andrea Caesar (Visby, Sweden).

Skoglund tipped Caesar's shot and also stopped a follow-up attempt by Petronis, but was not able to control the loose ball as Pihlblad swooped in to notch her ninth goals in her last four games.

The third-seeded Warriors (14-5) got on the board with 20 seconds left in the match when Lisa DeChambeau (East Bridgewater, Mass.) converted a cross from Rachel McCarthy (North Easton, Mass.) on a mini-breakaway.

While Skoglund was kept busy, making 13 saves for Merrimack, FP
goalkeeperKim Higgins (Rochester, N.H.) was called on for just three saves. However, two were game-savers, both against Kathy Cote (Methuen, Mass.).

Higgins denied Cote the first time with a diving, finger-tip save late in the first half, and then stonewalled her again on a point-blank attempt midway through the second half.

This was the third time the two teams have met in the postseason. FP
beat Merrimack in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 1999 and 1996.

The win marks the eight straight year the five-time national champion Ravens have won at least 15 games in a season.

The Ravens now look to avenge one of their two losses in the regular season. The Owls beat the Ravens, 1-0, in New Haven back on October 21 when Jenny Wilkin scored with 22 seconds left.

No matter what happens Sunday, both teams are expected to earn bids to the upcoming NCAA Division II tournament.