Demoner plays role in four
of five goals as Ravens roll into postseason unbeaten in last
12
RINDGE, N.H. (October 20, 2007) – Franklin Pierce
University, ranked 18th in this week's National Soccer
Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II
poll, rounded out its regular season schedule with a 5-2 victory
over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10
Conference women's soccer action at Sodexho Field this
afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (12-1-4, 9-1-4 NE-10) will head into the
Northeast-10 Tournament as the third seed and open defense of its
record seven-straight Tournament titles as it hosts a quarterfinal
round match next Sunday, October 28, (Time TBA) against an opponent
to be determined by Tuesday's final round of regular season
NE-10 matches. The Ravens will face either Bentley College or Saint
Anselm College in the opening round pending Bentley's result
against Merrimack on Tuesday. Southern Connecticut State (7-8-2,
4-8-2 NE-10) has one more regular season match at Le Moyne College
on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Senior All-American Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba,
Brazil) sent Franklin Pierce soaring into the playoffs,
playing a role in four of the Ravens five goals as she netted her
second hat trick of the week and added an assist for a career-best
seven points in the contest. Sophomore back Rachel Smith
(Chichester, N.H./Bible Baptist School (Pa.)) added a goal
and assist, while senior midfielder Jenna Giardina
(Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) scored a goal to record her
50th career point.
Junior goalkeeper Brittany Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms
River East) finished with three saves for Franklin Pierce,
while freshman Katie Didio (Vernon, Conn./Rockville) had four saves
in just under 80-minutes of work for Southern Connecticut. The
Ravens out-shot the Owls 15-7 for the match, including a 7-1 margin
in the first half.
Demoner scored both Franklin Pierce goals in the first half,
opening the scoring with a penalty kick 7:53 into the match after
she was hauled down on the right side of the penalty area. Smith
connected with Demoner on a long pass from beyond the halfway line
to double the Ravens advantage in the 39th minute. Demoner took the
pass and deposited a chip from the upper left corner of the 18 into
the right side of the net.
Southern Connecticut cut its deficit in half just 4:28 into the
second half as Ester and a Raven defender had a miscommunication at
the top of the penalty area and freshman Lindsay Stanton (Oxford,
Conn./Masuk) swiped the loose ball and fired a low shot into the
open net from ten yards out. Franklin Pierce answered right back
when Smith got on the end of a Demoner free kick from the left
flank and headed the ball into the right side of the net in the
54th minute.
Southern again closed within a goal when sophomore Ashley Knight
(Rockland, Mass./Rockland) fired a rocket from deep down the right
flank into the upper left corner of the goal in the 62nd
minute.
Franklin Pierce responded with two goals in an 80-second span to
seal the victory and extend its unbeaten run to 12 matches. Senior
Thatiane Preisler (Curitiba, Brazil) slotted a
pass through group of defenders to release Demoner down the left
side before she fired a drive into the right side of the goal from
just outside the penalty area in the 73rd minute. Giardina followed
with a header from the top of the six off a cross from the right
side by senior Taryn Welker (Wayne, Pa./Conestoga)
in the 74th minute.
