Welcome nets gamewinner in 97th
minute to lead Ravens into NCAA Quarterfinals
RINDGE, N.H. (November 10,
2001) - Freshman midfielder Meghan Welcome
(Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) netted the gamewinning
goal with a 35-yard free-kick in the 97th minute to lift No.
1-ranked Franklin Pierce to a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 13
Merrimack College in the NCAA Division II Women's New England
Regional Championship match in front of 1,514 at Crystal Field this
afternoon.
The Ravens (21-0) advance to face
No. 8 Lock Haven University in the NCAA Quarterfinal round next
weekend. The host site will be announced on Monday, but should
Franklin Pierce
be awarded the match, the game would be Saturday, November 17, at 1
p.m. Lock Haven (18-3) advanced with a 3-2 overtime victory over
Slippery Rock University this afternoon.
Welcome's gamewinner came after a
Merrimack foul near the left sideline. The left-footed Welcome
lofted the ball towards the far post, but it found the upper
righthand corner of the net just past the hand of Merrimack's
senior goalkeeper Alison Skoglund (Haverhill,
Mass./Haverhill).
"I was just trying to put it on the
far post," said Welcome after the match. "When it went in I
couldn't believe it. This is so sweet."
Merrimack sent the match into
overtime in the 86th minute of play as senior Rachel McCarthy
finished off a Warriors counterattack with a 25-yard shot over the
head of Franklin Pierce goalkeeper Kim Higgins
(Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) that rolled harmlessly
into the net. Senior Melissa Edwards and freshman Laurie Lamoureux
were credited with assists.
The goal marked just the second
time this season Franklin Pierce has been tied after going ahead in
a match. Saint Rose knotted its match with the Ravens at 1-1 in the
15th minute of their match on October 8 before falling 3-1.
Franklin Pierce has still not trailed in a match this season.
The score also snapped Higgins
shutout streak of just over 532 minutes dating back to a 2-1 win
over Saint Michael's College on October 11.
The Ravens took the lead on a nifty
goal from junior Patricia Keeldar (Amsterdam,
Holland/Ter Leede) at the 15:24-mark. Freshman
Martta Makila (Vantaa,
Finland/Makelanrinne) set up the play in the corner
as she worked past a defender and sent a cross into the box, where
it was deflected by junior April Mann (Brisbane,
Australia/Saint Thomas More) towards Keeldar, who
headed the ball into the upper right corner of the net.
The 21st win matches Franklin
Pierce's school record for wins in a season set in 1997 and also
matched in 1998. The Ravens keep their quest of a sixth National
Championship alive and look to advance to the NCAA semifinals for
the tenth-straight season with a win next weekend.
Merrimack (19-4) falls to Franklin
Pierce for the third time this season and is now 0-3 in NCAA
Tournament play against the Ravens. Skoglund recorded three saves
in net for the Warriors, while Higgins made two saves for Franklin
Pierce.
| #13 Merrimack (19-4)
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 1
|
| #1 Franklin Pierce (21-0)
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 2
|
Scoring
Summary:
FP: Patricia Keeldar (April Mann, Martta Makila), 15:24; MC: Rachel
McCarthy (Melissa Edwards, Laurie Lamoureux), 85:14; FP: Meghan
Welcome (unassisted), 96:21.
Goalkeepers:
MC: Alison Skoglund (96:21), three saves. FP: Kim Higgins (96:21),
two saves.
Shots:
MC: 5, FP: 13.
