Hughes double lifts Ravens to
sixth-straight Conference Championship appearance
RINDGE, N.H. (November 2,
2005) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 5 in this
week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, got a goal in each half to defeat
fourth-seeded and No. 24-ranked Merrimack College in semifinal
round action of the 2005 Northeast-10 Conference women's soccer
tournament, presented by Select Sports, at Sodexho Field this
afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (15-1-2, 12-1-1
NE-10) advances to the NE-10 Championship match for the
sixth-straight year and will face second-seeded Assumption College
(14-2-4, 9-2-3 NE-10). Sunday's match time will be announced on the
athletics website at www.franklinpierce.edu
/athletics tomorrow. Assumption reached the title match for the
second-straight year after posting a 3-1 decision in a penalty
shootout with sixth-seeded College of Saint Rose this evening after
the two sides played to a 0-0 draw. Merrimack (14-5-1, 9-4-1 NE-10)
awaits Monday's NCAA Tournament selections for its postseason fate.
Senior All-American
Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) scored
both Franklin Pierce goals, one in each half. Sophomore goalkeeper
Jenna Mello (Londonderry,
N.H./Londonderry) made two saves to preserve her
sixth shutout of the season (13th
career).
Hughes opened the scoring in the
18th minute when she took a pass from freshman
Ann Foley (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) from
the left side and fired a shot just left of the circle at the top
of the 18 at 17:24.
The Ireland international added an
insurance tally 2:52 into the second half as senior All-American
Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
spotted Hughes with a pass over the top from the right side for a
drive from the left channel, 12-yards out. The assist was Hislop's
first point in five matches, two of which were missed due to
injury.
Sophomore Shannon Rowan
(Fair Haven, Conn./Rumson-Fair Haven) and junior
Caitlin Stephan (Northboro,
Mass./Algonquin) split the goalkeeping duties for
Merrimack. Rowan made five saves in the first half, while Stephan
stopped two shots over the final 45-minutes.
Franklin Pierce out-shot Merrimack
15-5 for the match, 10-3 in the first half. The Warriors best
scoring chance came in the 39th minute with a chance to
equalize just before the break. Senior Lindsay
Sheffield (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) had a
counter-attack break down the right side, but her drive from
ten-yards out missed the goal high.
MATCH
STATISTICS
