Giguere scores match-winner in 82nd minute
RINDGE, N.H. (September 29, 2012) – The Franklin Pierce University men's soccer team made it three wins in a row on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Saint Anselm at Sodexo Field in Rindge. The Ravens improved to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Northeast-10, while the Hawks fell to 3-5-1 and 3-2 in league play.
Senior forward Greg Giguere (East Bridgewater, Mass.) had an active afternoon in front of the net as he logged eight shots, including five on goal. However, he was snake-bitten early in the match as none of his efforts could land in the back of net, including three-straight shots on goal in a wild five-second scramble in front of the cage.
After a scoreless first half, Giguere and the Ravens went back to work on the offensive end in the opening stages of the second half, but could still not buy a marker. However, the hard work paid off for Giguere in the 82nd minute as junior forward Gareth Dudney (North Andover, Mass.) sparked a scoring play with a nice pass to the net, which Giguere was able to put a foot on and send it to the upper right corner of the goal to put the Ravens on top.
It was Giguere's team-leading sixth of the season and Dudney picked up an assist on the play for his eighth point of the campaign.
The goal was the only one allowed by St. A's keeper Eric Moriarty, who made an outstanding seven stops in suffering the tough loss to fall to 3-4-1 on the season.
At the other end of the pitch, Franklin Pierce graduate goalkeeper Jake Wright (Los Angeles, Calif.) made a pair of stops to earn his fourth shutout win of the year (including his second straight), while running his record to 6-2 on the season.
Wright didn't need to make many stops, but one in particular came in a key moment late in the match with the Ravens nursing the 1-0 advantage. With a little more than four minutes left, a Franklin Pierce foul near midfield allowed Saint Anselm to set up for a free kick attempt, which was sent high and towards the goal where a mass of bodies converged on the play. Wright was able to out-jump the Saint Anselm forwards to make the stop and essentially put the match out of reach.
Franklin Pierce outshot the Hawks by a count of 20-6, including putting nine on goal. The Ravens also held a commanding 12-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Franklin Pierce returns to action Wednesday when the Ravens play host to No. 24 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State at 7 p.m. on Sodexo Field.
For more information on Franklin Pierce men'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/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men's soccer apparel can do so at the athletic department's brand new online store at athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)
