Demoner, Giardina lead the way as Ravens run unbeaten streak to 11

RINDGE, N.H. (October 16, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked 18th in this week's National Soccer Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, scored twice in each half in posting a 4-0 victory over 15th-ranked University of New Haven in a non-conference women's soccer match up at Sodexho Field tonight.

Senior All-American Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) notched her first hat trick of the season (second career) and senior midfielder Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) collected a goal and two assists to lead Franklin Pierce to the victory and extend its unbeaten streak to 11 matches.

Junior Brittany Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) made two saves to preserve her fifth shutouts of the season for Franklin Pierce. Sophomore Maryellen Shea (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) finished with four stops for New Haven. The Ravens posted a 13-4 advantage in shots for the match, including a 6-1 bulge in the second half.

Giardina set up each of Demoner's first two goals as Franklin Pierce opened a two-goal lead less than 12-minutes into the match. Demoner took a square ball from the center by Giardina and carried the ball down the left side past multiple defenders before firing a low shot into the right side of the net to open the scoring 4:14 into the contest. Giardina made a nice move on a defender on the right end line before slicing a cross to the near post which Demoner one-timed between the post and Shea at the 11:46-mark.

Demoner completed her hat trick 4:10 into the second half when she deposited a free-kick from the right channel at the top of the 18 into the right side of the goal for her Northeast-10 Conference leading 19th marker of the season. Giardina rounded out the scoring in the 58th minute, taking a pass from the left side by sophomore All-American Shona Franklin (Leicester, England) and slotting the ball into the right side of the goal.

Franklin Pierce (11-1-4, 8-1-4 NE-10) closes out the regular season on Saturday when it hosts Southern Connecticut State University in an NE-10 clash at 3 p.m. New Haven (11-4-2, 7-0-0 ECC) travels to Adelphi University on Sunday for an East Coast Conference match at 4 p.m.