Ravens seek third-straight NE-10
tourney championship tomorrow at 1 p.m.
SMITHFIELD, R.I. (November
2, 2002) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in
this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, netted three first half goals to
open an early lead and cruised past fourth-seeded Bentley College
in semifinal round action of the Northeast-10 Conference women's
soccer tournament at Bulldog Stadium on the Bryant College campus
today.
Franklin Pierce (15-0-2) advances
to the Northeast-10 Conference Championship match for the
third-straight year and look for its third-straight tournament
title against the winner of today's second semifinal between
second-seeded College of Saint Rose (15-3) and third-seeded
Merrimack College (10-3-1).
Franklin Pierce claims its
fifth-straight shutout in NE-10 tournament play and will carry a
string of 453 shutout minutes in Conference play dating back to its
3-2 victory over Southern Connecticut State University in the 2000
NE-10 title match. Junior Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen,
Norway) and sophomore Keeley Rafter
(Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) combined for the
shutout this afternoon, with Kibsgaard totaling one save in
82-minutes of action before Rafter made two stops over the final
eight minutes.
Senior midfielder
Andrea Caesar (Visby, Sweden) totaled a
goal and an assist in the opening 45-minutes as the Ravens jumped
out to 3-0 lead by the intermission. Caesar opened the scoring just
3:49 into the match as she curled in a direct kick from the right
side into the upper left corner of the net.
Caesar set up the Ravens second
marker at the 14:57-mark when she sent in a sharp cross that was
headed in by classmate Angela Verdoes (Katwijk Aan Zee,
Holland) in the middle of the 18-yard box.
SophomoreMeghan Welcome
(Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) closed out the first
half scoring just 2:20 before the intermission when she knocked in
a loose ball at the far post after Bentley junior goalkeeper Erin
Fahey failed to corral a cross from the far flank.
Senior Anumari Ylesmaki
(Vantaa, Finland) scored the lone goal of the second
half when classmate Kamille Rosenfalck's (Borup,
Denmark) through ball sent her in one-on-one with
Fahey for a wide-open shot at the 78:32-mark.
Fahey finished the match with six
saves as Bentley (9-5-3) looks to a possible ECAC Tournament berth.
The Falcons best scoring chance of
the match came in the 50th minute when junior Sarah Benson (Oxford,
Mass./Oxford) had a shot cleared off the goal line by Franklin
Pierce junior defender Alana Sullivan (Dorchester,
Mass./Mitchell College).
#1 Franklin Pierce 4, #4
Bentley 0
| Bentley (9-5-3)
| 0
| 0
| -
| 0
|
| Franklin Pierce (15-0-2)
| 3
| 1
| -
| 4
|
Scoring Summary:
FP: Andrea Caesar (unassisted), 3:49; FP: Angela Verdoes (Caesar),
14:57; FP: Meghan Welcome (unassisted), 42:40. FP: Anumari Ylesmaki
(Kamille Rosenfalck), 78:32.
Goalkeepers: BC: Erin Fahey (90:00), six saves;
FP: Aase Kibsgaard (82:00), one save, Keeley Rafter (8:00), two
saves.
Shots: BC: 7, FP: 14.
