Jaksina scores for Ravens

LOWELL, Mass. (October 30, 2010) – Senior midfielder Kim Jaksina (Townsend, Mass.) scored a goal on Saturday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team was defeated on the road, 6-1, by No. 2 nationally ranked Massachusetts Lowell in Northeast-10 Conference play at Cushing Field. Senior forward Sammy Macy scored twice, including the game-winner, in the victory for Massachusetts Lowell.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 6-9 (3-4 Northeast-10), while Massachusetts Lowell improves to 17-0 (7-0 Northeast-10).

Massachusetts Lowell opened the scoring a little over seven minutes into the game. The River Hawks brought play into the middle off a free hit from just outside the circle. The ball eventually settled with Macy, who pushed a pass through a crowd to fellow senior forward Katie Enaire. Enaire had only a defender to beat and stuffed home her 19th goal of the season.

The Ravens would not take long to respond, as they knotted the game at 1-1 just 4:01 later. Jaksina forced a turnover along the left wing in the offensive end. She deked one defender outside the circle and another inside it to find space to get off a shot which found the back of the cage for her ninth goal of the season, which tied her for the team lead. It was the first goal scored against Massachusetts Lowell in over a month, snapping the River Hawks' shutout streak at 606:48 after eight consecutive shutouts.

Massachusetts Lowell claimed a 2-1 lead with just over 16 minutes to play in the first half. The River Hawks came in from midfield with numbers and junior back Annie Hansbury fed the ball to Macy in the middle of the circle. Macy went to the backhand and beat Franklin Pierce junior goalkeeper Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.) inside the far post for her conference-leading 22nd goal of the season.

Hansbury got a goal of her own with 32.9 seconds to play in the first half to give the River Hawks a 3-1 lead and momentum heading into halftime. Senior midfielder Liz Day attempted to send a ball into the circle, but it got deflected and fell to the stick of Hansbury. In the right place at the right time, Hansbury rifled a shot into the top corner to score her second goal of the season.

Massachusetts Lowell turned up the heat in the middle of the second half, during a stretch where it collected several penalty corners in succession. Off of one of them, the ball ended up in the middle of a scrum in front of the net. Several River Hawks were turned away, but sophomore back Sarah Wilcox eventually found the back of the cage for her first of the season to make it a 4-1 game.

Just over three minutes later, the River Hawks all but put the game on ice, as they made it 5-1. Junior midfielder Abby Auld sent the ball into the circle hard from the left side. Senior forward Lizzy Ales got her stick to it and deflected it past Baxter to score her ninth goal of the year. Macy would later score her second of the game to create the 6-1 final.

Massachusetts Lowell held just an 11-7 edge in shots at halftime, but stretched that to a 24-9 advantage with a dominant second half. The River Hawks were awarded nine penalty corners, compared to five for Franklin Pierce.

Baxter made nine saves against 15 shots and took the loss (1-1) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce. Freshman Melanie Hopkins made three saves on four shots sent her way to pick up the win (17-0) between the pipes for Massachusetts Lowell.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, Nov. 2, when they travel to Saint Anselm for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 3 p.m. in Manchester, N.H. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Saturday, Nov. 6 against Saint Michael's at 1 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).