Warriors end Ravens 101-match home
unbeaten string vs. NE Region opponents
RINDGE, N.H. (September 30,
2004) - Merrimack College, ranked No. 22 in this week's
National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas
Division II poll, handed top-ranked Franklin Pierce its first home
loss to a New England Region opponent in 13 years with a 2-1
victory this afternoon.
Merrimack puts an end to Franklin
Pierce's 101-match home unbeaten streak against New England Region
opposition dating back to a 3-0 setback to Keene State College on
November 5, 1991. The Ravens had gone 99-0-2 against regional
opponents before the loss today in the 13 years since. The loss
also snapped a 16-match home winning streak and a 40-match home
unbeaten run overall. The winning streak dated back to a 1-1 draw
with Bryant College on October 9, 2002, while the unbeaten run
dated back to a 3-2 overtime loss to Westmont (Calif.) College on
September 30, 2000 - four years ago to the day.
Freshman Hillary McGarr
(North Dighton, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) put the
Warriors ahead for good with 10:51 left in regulation as senior
Laurie Lamoureux (Leicester,
Mass./Leicester) spotted her with a pass that sent
her in one-on-one with Franklin Pierce freshman goalkeeper
Jenna Mello (Londonderry,
N.H./Londonderry) for a low shot into the right side
of the net.
The Ravens pushed forward and had a
couple of bids to knot the score for a second time on the day.
Junior Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland)
had a good bid in the 86th minute, but just missed over
the crossbar on a shot just outside the penalty area.
Merrimack opened the scoring in the
24th minute as Lamoureux headed in a cross at the far
post from sophomore Julie Anderson (Middletown,
R.I./Middletown) after Anderson had two shots of her
own from close range after a Franklin Pierce defensive turnover
with the goalkeeper off the line. Her first attempt was blocked and
the second cleared off the line by Ravens sophomore back
Mia Makarainen (Espoo, Finland). Anderson
collected the ball for a third time and crossed the ball to
Lamoureux who was unmarked on the far post.
The Ravens took possession from
there in the first half and had a scoring bid snuffed out when a
shot from junior Kirsi Ekberg (Klaukkala,
Finland) was cleared off the line by Merrimack junior
Lindsay Sheffield (Georgetown,
Mass./Georgetown) in the 41st minute.
Franklin Pierce equalized in the
56th minute when junior All-American Laura
Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) took the ball off
a turnover, turned and curled a shot into the upper right corner of
the net from just outside the penalty area.
Merrimack freshman goalkeeper
Shannon Rowan (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair
Haven) registered seven saves to preserve the
victory, while Mello stopped two shots for Franklin Pierce. The
Ravens out-shot the Warriors, 24-12.
Franklin Pierce (7-1, 5-1 NE-10)
looks to rebound on Saturday when it visits Pace University for a
match at 1 p.m. Merrimack (8-1-1, 5-1-1 NE-10) visits No. 8
LIU-Southampton on Saturday at noon.
MATCH
STATISTICS
