Ravens cruise into postseason
winners of eight straight
RINDGE, N.H. (October 27,
2004) - Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in this week's
National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas
women's Division II poll, cruised into the postseason with a 4-1
victory over Saint Anselm College in the regular season finale for
both at Sodexho Field this afternoon.
Top-seeded Franklin Pierce (15-1,
13-1 NE-10) opens defense of its four-straight Northeast-10
Tournament titles on Sunday when it hosts eighth seeded UMass
Lowell, on Sunday at 3 p.m. UMass Lowell (9-9-1, 6-7-1 NE-10)
clinched its first postseason berth in program history with a 3-2
double-overtime victory at American International College today.
Saint Anselm's season draws to a close with a 7-11 record overall,
3-11 in the NE-10.
Junior All-American
Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
totaled five points with two goals and an assist for the Ravens in
a match that saw all five goals scored in the opening 45-minutes.
Freshman Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield,
Mass./Taconic) added three points, netting the first
goal of her collegiate career and dishing an assist. Junior
Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland)
chipped in with a
goal.
Hislop helped put Franklin Pierce
ahead just 6:44 into the match when her through ball from the right
side sent Giardina in one-on-one with Saint Anselm senior
goalkeeper Kathryn Mullin (Marshfield,
Mass./Marshfield) for a shot from the left channel
into the right side of the net. Giardina's first collegiate goal
came on the first shot of the match by either side.
Hughes put the Ravens up a pair in
the 20th minute as junior Elizabeth Allen
(Durham, N.H./Oyster River) set her up with a square
ball across the top of the circle for a blast into the upper right
corner.
Hislop netted her first goal just
1:41 after Hughes' marker when she gathered the ball just inside
midfield and beat no less than four defenders before breaking in
one-on-one with Mullin for a low shot into the right corner at
21:25.
Hislop finished off her double in
the 32nd minute off a Saint Anselm turnover. Giardina
intercepted the ball, and her pass hit Hislop on a well-timed run
through the last line of defense for a shot into the lower left
corner of the net.
Saint Anselm grabbed a consolation
goal in the 39th minute off a Ravens giveaway deep in
their defensive zone. The failed clear went straight to sophomore
Jocelyn Savastano (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth
North), who fired a shot just inside the left post.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Linnea Authier (East Longmeadow, Mass./East
Longmeadow) registered two saves for Franklin Pierce.
Mullin made two stops in the first half for Saint Anselm, before
giving way to sophomore Ashley Capachione (Whitman,
Mass./Cardinal Spellman), who made four stops in a
scoreless second half.
MATCH
STATISTICS
