Nichols Scores Twice as Ravens Beat AIC, 6-0

WINCHENDON, Mass. (September 12, 2000) - Senior Heidi Nichols (Fremont, N.H.) scored her second and third goals of the year Tuesday as the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team made it home debut by beating American International College, 6-0, at the Winchendon School.

The victory marked the first conference match of any kind for the Ravens (2-1, 1-0 Northeast-10) since they began competing on the varsity level in 1997. FP joined the Northeast-10 Conference this year, while the previous conference it belonged to, the New England Collegiate Conference, did not sponsor field hockey as a conference sport.

The win marked only the second time in four years the Ravens have won consecutive games. They try for a record three straight Saturday when they travel to face Merrimack College for a conference match in North Andover, Mass.

Sophomore Kelly Henry (Wyoming, R.I.) put the Ravens ahead for good yesterday when she deflected a shot by Nichols in the eighth minute of the match. FP built a 3-0 lead at halftime on goals by Henry, Nichols and senior Karen Clarke (Brewster, N.Y.).

Nichols, senior Lisa Harris (Chester, Conn.) and freshman Kelly Shank (Fitchburg, Mass.) tacked on goals in the second half.

Sophomore goalkeeper Kasey McClements (Ashland, Mass.) made two saves for the shutout. Senior keeper Christa Vancini (West Springfield, Mass.) stopped 20 shots for AIC
(0-3, 0-2 NE-10).