Don Denman sets program record for most wins in a season by a goalie

RINDGE, N.H. (April 17, 2012) -- The Franklin Pierce University men's lacrosse team set a program record for wins in a single season on Tuesday night with its 12-6 triumph over American International at Sodexo Field in Rindge. The Ravens improved to 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the Northeast-10, while AIC dipped to 0-11 and 0-8 in league play.

The six wins this season tops the old mark of five, which was set two years ago by the 2010 team. It marked the second-straight game the Ravens turned in a milestone win. In Saturday's thrilling 11-10 victory over No. 9 nationally ranked Saint Anselm, Franklin Pierce defeated a ranked opponent for the first time in program history, while also setting a new program record for conference wins in a single campaign.

A pair of Ravens logged four-point games versus AIC, including attackman Jack Corts (Kingston, N.Y.) and Brendan Cahill (Hollis, N.H.), as each player pumped in three goals, while assisting on another. Two other Ravens posted three-point evenings, including sophomore Bryan Bourque (Goffstown, N.H.), who scored twice and added a helper. Senior attackman Jimmy McInnis (Amherst, N.H.) scored once and notched two assists, as he now has 32 helpers for his career, which is just two shy of the school record of 34 held by Bill Paradis (1998-01).

Sophomore midfielder Eddie Noonan (Foxboro, Mass.), who pumped in the game-winning goal on Saturday night with just :21 left, had one assist against AIC, which gave him 26 points for the season, already matching the total he recorded last year when he claimed NE-10 rookie-of-the-year accolades.

Franklin Pierce outshot the Yellow Jackets, 46-18, as seven different Ravens scored a goal and eight logged at least three shots. Franklin Pierce's play in the midfield and on the back end by its defenders were major factors in limiting AIC to under 20 shots. Senior Alex Whitney (Stratham, N.H.) forced four turnovers as he reaced 30 caused TO's for the season.

The Ravens held a commanding 58-27 advantage in ground balls, including six apiece from sophomore Josh Hinds (Groveland, Mass.) and freshman Kevin Dargin (Littleton, Mass.). Four other Ravens each rounded up five grounders to aid in the impressive total.

With all of that smothering defensive pressure in front of him, Franklin Pierce goalie Don Denman (Exeter, N.H.) needed to make just five saves to earn the win to run his record to 6-5 on the year. Denman also made history on Tuesday as he set the program record for most wins in a single season by a goalie.

The teams traded goals to begin the game. Franklin Pierce got on the board first with a goal from Corts at the 13:23 mark, but AIC was quick to respond with a tally from Bryce Serriello to knot the score at 1-1.

The Ravens shrugged off the goal and closed out the first quarter by scoring four-straight goals to take a 5-1 lead into the second period. Cahill tossed in back-to-back markers, including a man-up tally with 6:42 left in the quarter, while McInnis and Corts fired in the final two goals. McInnis assisted on both of Cahill's tallies as the senior logged all three of his points in the opening 15 minutes.

Nick Amendt popped in consecutive goals for AIC to begin the second as the Yellow Jackets pulled to within 5-3. Cahill and senior Ryan Dintaman (Northfield, Mass.) got the Ravens back on solid ground the rest of the half as they sandwiched goals around another AIC tally, to stake Franklin Pierce to a 7-4 lead at halftime.

AIC, though, wouldn't go away in the opening stages of the second half and an Andrew Wilson goal with 9:42 left in the third quarter found the Yellow Jackets trailing by just two at 8-6.

Franklin Pierce, however, picked up the pace of play and its intensity could not be matched by AIC the remainder of the game. The Ravens got two late goals from Bourque, while Dargin and Corts tossed in two more to cap the scoring and seal the win.

The Ravens return to action on Monday when they travel to Waltham, Mass. to face Bentley at 4 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce men's lacrosse, 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/FranklinPierceRavens).