(Post-Game Video at Bottom of
Story)
RINDGE, N.H. (October 15, 2011) -- The Franklin
Pierce University women's soccer team picked up its
second-consecutive win over a nationally-ranked opponent on
Saturday as the Ravens downed No. 25 Southern Connecticut State,
3-0, at Sodexo Field in Rindge. Franklin Pierce evened its overall
record at 6-6-1 and improved to 4-6-1 in the Northeast-10, while
SCSU dipped to 10-2-1 and 8-2-1 in league play.
Franklin Pierce picked up a victory in its last contest versus a
ranked opponent as the Ravens downed then No. 17 Merrimack by an
identical score of 3-0 back on Oct. 5 in Rindge.
Saturday's win over SCSU was significant in another way in that
the Ravens struck in three goals against an Owls squad which had
allowed just one goal all season in its previous 12 games. Franklin
Pierce was outshot, 13-12, but the Ravens made the most of their
opportunities when it counted.
Sophomore forward Talita Pereira (Sao Paulo,
Brazil) got the goal scoring started in the 31st minute
when she took a pass from classmate Joanna Gibson (London,
England) on the left side of the box and fired a shot that
beat the Southern Connecticut keeper to the lower left corner of
the net for a 1-0 Franklin Pierce advantage. It was Pereira's sixth
goal of the season, which moved her into a tie for the team lead in
goals. Gibson was credited with an assist on the play for her first
point of the season.
Pereira and Gibson swapped roles in the 43rd minute to make it
2-0 Franklin Pierce. Pereira drew a corner kick opportunity and
blasted a shot towards the front of the net which Gibson was able
to out-jump the SCSU defenders and head a shot into the upper right
corner of the net for her first tally of the season.
The Owls tried to pick up the offensive intensity in the early
stages of the second half, but every time they had a scoring
chance, Franklin Pierce goalkeeper Jocelyn Leon (Lenox,
Mass.) would slam the door shut with a strong save. Leon
made five saves for the game to run her record to 6-6-1 on the
season. It was her fourth shutout of the season and her
second-consecutive shutout win versus SCSU. Leon stopped three
shots in last season's 1-0 triumph over the Owls in New Haven.
Leon made back-to-back saves midway through the second half with
Franklin Pierce clinging to a 2-0 lead. Jenna Mallico fired a low
shot which Leon got a hand on to swat away, but LeAnn DiSisto
followed with a rebound attempt as she drove past the Franklin
Pierce defenders. DiSisto's opportunity was denied by Leon as she
was able to deflect away the shot while getting back up off the
ground.
Senior midfielder Tori Gikas (Sydney,
Australia) put the game away in the 89th minute as she
took a stretch pass from Julie Foster (Dennis,
Mass.) and lofted a long shot over the charging SCSU
goalkeeper into the back of the net for her fifth goal of the
campaign. Foster was credited with an assist on the play.
Franklin Pierce returns to action Tuesday when the Ravens travel
to Easton, Mass. to take on Stonehill at 3:30 p.m.
For more information on Franklin Pierce women's soccer, please
visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow
the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on
YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter
(www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).
