Recap by student-staff writer Joe McLaughlin

RINDGE, N.H. (3/29/25) - The Franklin Pierce Women's Lacrosse team could not hold on to their halftime lead as they lost to the Southern New Hampshire Penmen 14-9 on their senior day.

Score: Franklin Pierce 9, SNHU 14

Records: Franklin Pierce 3-5 (1-3 NE10), SNHU 5-4 (2-2 NE10)

Location: Sodexo Field, Rindge, NH

Date: March 29th, 2025

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first quarter, the Ravens opened the scoring. First-year attacker Morgan Groppi (Stoughton, MA) scored on a free-position shot to put the Ravens up 1-0. Less than a minute later, junior midfielder Erin McIlroy (Newfields, NH) scored unassisted to put the Ravens up 2-0. The Penmen then would cut the lead in half with under five minutes to go in the opening frame as Mazie Burt scored unassisted. The Ravens then responded in the final minute as senior midfielder Riley Beem (Windham, Maine) received a pass from senior attacker Emily Ulmer (Bedford, NH) to put the Ravens up 3-1 after the first quarter.
• The Penmen offense awoke in the second quarter, as Sabrina Redding scored unassisted in the first two minutes, putting the Penmen within one. Mazie Burt then scored her second goal of the game off a pass from Katelyn Hadden to tie the game at three. In the final five minutes of the half, Erin McIlroy scored her second goal of the game unassisted to recapture the lead. A minute later, Rachel McLaughlin scored back-to-back goals for the Penmen, one assisted by Katelyn Hadden and one unassisted, to give the Penmen their first lead of the game. To answer McLaughlin's efforts, Senior attacker Haley Hermsdorf (Center Moriches, NY) scored back-to-back goals on the free position shot to give the Ravens a 6-5 lead heading into halftime.
• The Penmen were quick to tie the game again in the third quarter as Camdyn Swain scored unassisted five minutes into the quarter. Sabrina Redding followed that up with her second of the game, scored unassisted, to give the 7-6 lead back to the Penmen. Erin McIlroy then scored her third of the game unassisted to tie the game 7-7. Then, with two minutes remaining, Sabrina Redding scored her third of the game on the woman-down in the final two minutes of the quarter to put the Penmen up 8-7.
• The Penmen then took command of the final quarter. Mazie Burt started with her third goal of the game, off a pass from Sabrina Redding, extending their lead to two. The Ravens responded with a goal from junior attacker Maura Cogavin (Franklin, MA) who received a feed from Riley Beem to put the Ravens down 9-8. Then Sabrina Redding and Mazie Burt scored their fourth goals of the game back-to-back to give the Penmen a three-goal lead. Erin McIlroy grabbed her fourth of the game shortly after to put the Ravens within two goals, however it was not enough as Sabrina Redding would notch her fifth and sixth goals of the game back-to-back within the final five minutes. Mazie Burt scored her fifth of the game on the free position shot to close out the game and secure a 14-9 win for SNHU.

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS

• The Penmen heavily outshot the Ravens 36-11 while taking control of draw controls, winning 18 draws to the Ravens' 9.
• Sabrina Redding and Mazie Burt combined for 11 goals for the Penmen, giving the Ravens defense problems throughout the entire game.
• The Penmen continued winning the possession battle, grabbing 27 ground balls to the Ravens' 16. The Ravens also had more turnovers in the game, giving away the ball 22 times to the Penmen's 14.
• The Ravens did go 3 for 3 on the free position shot while the Penmen went 1 for 3.
• For the Ravens, they honored five graduating seniors on their senior day. Emily Ulmer, Riley Beem, Haley Hermsdorf, and their two senior goaltenders, Katherine Hickey (Farmingdale, NY) and Saige Paradise (Milford, NH). 

UP NEXT FOR THE RAVENS: The Ravens will hit the road next Saturday to face off against the Owls of Southern Connecticut State. Opening draw control is set for 1:00 pm on April 5th, at Southern Connecticut State.