Demoner nets winner in the 98th
minute, Ravens host Bryant for NE-10 Championship Sunday
RINDGE, N.H. (October 27,
2006) - Second-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked tenth in
this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, advanced to its seventh-straight
Northeast-10 Championship match with a 2-1 overtime victory over
sixth-seeded Saint Anselm College in an NE-10 Tournament semifinal
at Sodexho Field this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (17-2-0, 12-2-0
NE-10) will look for its seventh-straight NE-10 Tournament title on
Sunday when it hosts fourth-seeded Bryant University (15-6-1, 9-4-1
NE-10) at Noon. Bryant upset top-seeded and No. 5-ranked College of
Saint Rose, 3-1, in today's other semifinal match. Saint Anselm
falls to 10-6-3 overall (6-5-3 NE-10).
Juniors Gabriela Demoner
(Curitiba, Brazil) and Jenna
Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) both figured
in on both goals for Franklin Pierce, each registering a goal and
assist.
Demoner capped an intense Franklin
Pierce overtime attack with her team-best 11th goal of
the season 7:42 into the extra period off a through ball from the
right side by Giardina. The Ravens took charge in the extra
session, out-shooting Saint Anselm 8-0. Demoner nearly ended the
match in highlight fashion with a well executed bicycle kick in the
center of the 18 in the 95th minute, but Saint Anselm
sophomore goalkeeper Michaela Smith (Andover,
Mass./Andover) made a tremendous diving save to her left.
Demoner set up Giardina for the
Ravens first goal 6:28 before halftime. Demoner sent a cross from
the left flank that connected with Giardina for a header that Smith
initially got a hand to, but the ball still found the right side of
the net for Giardina's seventh goal of the year.
Saint Anselm equalized in the
75th minute when freshman Heidi Reece (Hoosick
Falls, N.Y./Hoosick Falls) tipped in a long free kick from
the right flank by sophomore Kathleen Kennerley (Weymouth,
Mass./Weymouth) at the far post for her tenth marker of
the season.
The Hawks had their chances to
equalize earlier in the second half, but senior Mairead
Lundt (Atkinson, N.H./Timberlane) hit the post in the
49th minute and classmate Jocelyn Savastano
(Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth North) had a drive carom off the
crossbar in the 63rd.
Smith kept Saint Anselm in the
match with eight saves, including four in the overtime period, as
Franklin Pierce out-shot the Hawks, 24-5.
MATCH
STATISTICS & PLAY-BY-PLAY
