Spartans edge #16 Franklin Pierce in penalty shootout (3-1) after two sides play to scoreless draw

Boxscore

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (December 1, 2007) - The Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team saw its quest for a record sixth National Championship come to a close in disappointing fashion as 14^th-ranked University of Tampa captured its first title in program history with a 3-1 decision on penalty kicks after the two sides played to a scoreless double-overtime draw at the Orange Beach Sportsplex this afternoon.

Tampa (20-2-2) and Franklin Pierce (18-2-5) played the first double-overtime match in NCAA Division II women's soccer championship history and the first decided on penalties. It marked the third-straight year the women's final went to overtime. The Ravens appeared in the national championship match for a Division II record seventh time, first since 2003, with their last national title coming in 1999.

"Even though it was a 0-0 tie, I thought it was an exciting game," said Tampa Head Coach Gerry Lucy, who defeated Franklin Pierce as head coach at West Chester (Pa.) University in last year's quarterfinal round. "Franklin Pierce obviously provided some stiff opposition. They are a quality team and we did a good job marking their key players, including (Demoner) who is one of the best players in the country."

While the match technically goes in the record book as a loss for Franklin Pierce, the two teams battled through 110-minutes of scoreless soccer and both struggled to create scoring chances all afternoon. The Ravens were unable to produce any hardware despite a postseason in which it did not concede a goal in eight postseason matches (760-minutes), including all 560 minutes in six NCAA Tournament contests. Franklin Pierce fell in a penalty shootout in the semifinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference tournament as well.

"It was a very scrappy game and neither team really took control of it," said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey. "We just never really settled down and started playing. We certainly started very slowly in the first half and tried to pick up in the second half but never created enough."

Junior goalkeeper Brittany Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) made four saves to preserve her 13^th shutout of the season - finishing one shy of the program's single-season record. She will carry a shutout streak of 788:11 into her senior season, dating back to the 62^nd minute of the Ravens 5-2 victory over Southern Connecticut State University in their regular season finale. Ester's 0.00 goals against average over six matches set NCAA Division II records for a season and tournament. 

Senior Shannon Aitken (Land O' Lakes, Fla.) finished with two stops for her 14^th shutout of the year. Tampa finished with an 11-7 edge in shots, and enjoyed the better of what few true scoring chances either team had.

Franklin Pierce went first in the shootout, but missed their first three kicks. Sophomore Mackenzie Bulych (Regina, Saskatchewan) pulled the opening kick wide of the left post. After junior Shelby Kuni (Houston, Texas) beat Ester to the left side to give Tampa an advantage it would never lose, senior Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) saw Aitken get a hand to her kick. Ester kept Franklin Pierce alive with a diving stop on junior Courtney Evans (DeLand, Fla.), but senior All-American Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) scuffed her attempt enough to allow Aitken to keep it away from the net.

"Most of those guys never miss and (Gabriela) never misses," said Bailey. "When she steps up and misses her kick, you kind of know it's not your day. We just looked tired when we were taking them. It's a shame the national championship is decided that way."

After sophomore Allison Haines (Honolulu, Hawaii) converted Franklin Pierce's lone kick, sophomore Ashley Flateland (Fox Island, Wash.) clinched the championship for Tampa in the fourth round with a low shot to the left side.

"It goes to penalty kicks," said Bailey. "And at that point, you might as well flip a coin."

Franklin Pierce had the better chances in the first half, out shooting Tampa 4-3 in the frame. Sophomore All-American Shona Franklin (Leicester, England) took a drive off a second chance after a free kick from the top of the 18 that missed just wide of the right post in the 20^th minute. Demoner had a header on the left post after a flick from Bulych on a serve from midfield that found a well positioned Aitken guarding the post for a catch save.

Tampa senior Alison Penland (Falls Church, Va.) spun free at the top of the penalty area seven minutes into the second half, but Ester was positioned well on the right post to make a point blank save. Ester came up big again in the 72^nd minute, when a clearance by Franklin Pierce sophomore back Rachel Smith (Chichester, N.H./Bible Baptist School (Pa.)) spun towards the goal area. Freshman back Kelly Weygand (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) was there to collect the loose ball, but slipped to allow Kuni a one-on-one chance that Ester snuffed out on the right post.

Tampa took the initiative in the first overtime and had a chance to end the match seconds in. Kuni took a pass just outside the six, but lifted her shot over the cross bar. Senior Reesey Bernard (West Hartford, Conn.) had a volley from the top of the 18 in the right channel just drop behind the cross bar in the 93^rd. Bulych got on the end of a Demoner corner kick in the 97^th minute, but got little power on the shot with Aitken well positioned to make a catch save.

"That was the best chance we had in the overtime," said Bailey.