NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (11/12/25) - Nine members of the Franklin Pierce University women's soccer program were recognized by the Northeast 10 Conference on Wednesday, highlighted by senior Samantha Breton (Chicopee, Mass.) earning Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Breton anchored a back line that ranked among the conference's best, allowing just 15 goals all season—the second-fewest in the NE10—and helping the Ravens post nine shutouts. Starting all 17 matches, she added a goal and two assists while guiding Franklin Pierce to a 12-2-4 overall record and a 6-1-2 mark in league play.
Breton was joined on the All-Conference First Team by forward Claudia Peirce (Carver, Mass.), midfielder Jenni Huttunen (Tuusula, Finland), and midfielder Makenzie Shean (Agawam, Mass.). Peirce led the team in goals (8) and shots (69), Huttunen added 7 goals and 4 assists, and Shean paced the Ravens in points (23) with 7 goals and 9 assists.
On the Second Team, defenders Pinja Eklund (Helsinki, Finland) and Lindsey Price (Plainfield, Conn.) were recognized for their consistent play in a defensive unit that limited opponents to just 0.83 goals per game and 7.6 shots per contest.
McKenna Maguire (Brookline, N.H.) earned Third-Team and All-Rookie Team honors after recording 4 goals and 3 assists across 18 appearances. First-years Maddie Fitzgerald (Whitman, Mass.) and Jess LaCroix (Nashua, N.H.) also landed on the All-Rookie Team. Fitzgerald contributed 3 goals and an assist, while LaCroix started 13 games in goal and posted a 0.86 goals-against average, a .771 save percentage, and six shutouts.
Franklin Pierce finished the regular season second in the NE10 standings and will take on St. Michael's in the NE10 Championship Semifinal, Thursday. The match will be hosted at Sodexo Field at 7 p.m.
