Smith nets a goal in each half,
Ravens host sixth-seeded Saint Anselm Friday
RINDGE, N.H. (October 24,
2006) - Second-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked
10th in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association
of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, advanced past
seventh-seeded Stonehill College with a 2-0 victory in quarterfinal
round action of the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Soccer
Championship at Sodexho Field this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (15-2) advances to
Friday's semifinal round and will host sixth-seeded Saint Anselm
College (10-6-3) at 4 p.m. The Hawks upset third-seeded and No.
24-ranked UMass Lowell, 1-0, in another quarterfinal tonight.
Stonehill completes its season with a 6-6-4 overall mark, making
its first postseason appearance in five
years.
Freshman Rachel Smith
(Carlisle, Pa./Bible Baptist School) provided the offense
for Franklin Pierce, notching the first multi-goal match of her
collegiate career. Junior goalkeeper Jenna Mello
(Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) made four saves (three
second half) to preserve the victory and her eighth shutout of the
season (23rd career).
Smith put the Ravens on the board in
the 31st minute when she gathered a cross from the right
side by junior Laura Stockdale (Sunderland,
England) and beat a Stonehill defender before slotting a
shot into the left side of the net.
Smith added an important insurance
marker in the 74th minute when she pounced on a failed
clear attempt and put her first touch into the goal for her fifth
tally of the season.
Franklin Pierce squandered a pair of
golden scoring chances in the first ten minutes of the second half
and Stonehill nearly capitalized. The Skyhawks appeared to net an
equalizing goal midway through the half, but the play was whistled
dead on a foul before the goal crossed the goal line.
Junior Alex
Eckhardt (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) finished
with five saves in goal for Stonehill, which was out-shot 15-7 for
the match (6-2 in the opening half).
MATCH
STATISTICS & PLAY-BY-PLAY
