Jaksina adds goal, assist

WORCESTER, Mass. (September 8, 2011) – Senior forward Lauren L'Heureux (Sanford, Maine) scored two goals, including the game-winner, on Thursday night to lead the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team to a 4-0 road win over Assumption in non-conference play at Multi-Sport Stadium. Senior midfielder Kim Jaksina (Townsend, Mass.) added three points on a goal and an assist.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 2-1 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Assumption falls to 0-2 (0-0 Northeast-10). The two teams will play their Northeast-10 Conference contest in the regular-season finale on Oct. 22 in Rindge.

Though large chunks of the first half were played in the midfield, the Ravens managed to assert their authority at times, particularly later in the frame. L'Heureux netted the only goal of the first half just over 15 minutes into the contest. Junior midfielder Megan Bird (Laconia, N.H.) threaded a pass into the middle from just outside the circle on the right side. L'Heureux received the pass near the penalty spot, turned and snapped off a shot that beat Assumption sophomore goalkeeper Heather Philbrick to open the scoring. It was the third assist in as many games to start the season for Bird and the first goal of the season for L'Heureux.

Franklin Pierce showed its strength at both ends of the field in the first half, and held a 7-1 advantage in shots and a 4-0 edge in penalty corners in the stanza. The lone shot by Assumption, which was saved by Franklin Pierce senior goalkeeper Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.) would be the only shot attempt allowed by a dominant Ravens backline on the evening.

The Ravens would add three goals in the second half to break the game open and win going away. Just over 10 minutes into the half, off a penalty corner, senior forward Danielle Dolan (West Brookfield, Mass.) possessed the ball at the top of the circle. With the defense rushing the ball, she slipped a pass to her left to Jaksina, who bombed a shot through traffic and into the backboard to double the lead to 2-0 and score her second goal of the season.

Nearly 15 minutes later, Jaksina would pick up an assist to complete her three-point night. Once again, the tri-captain found space to wind and fire from the top of the circle. This time, the ground-hugging blast found the stick of freshman forward Tori Gamache (Goffstown, N.H.), who deflected the ball to the back of the cage to score her first career goal.

With just 60 seconds to play, the Ravens created the 4-0 final as L'Heureux bookended the scoring with her second goal. Amidst a skirmish in front of the net with Philbrick coming off her line to try to kick away the ball, Franklin Pierce sophomore forward Chanelle Letarte (Lunenburg, Mass.) dove and swiped at the ball with her stick. She struck it enough to nudge it to the left, out of the path of the goalkeeper and onto the stick of L'Heureux, who promptly sent it into the empty cage.

It marked the first career multiple-goal game for L'Heureux, who has now scored three of her five career goals against Assumption. She also scored her first career goal against the Greyhounds. Her second goal Thursday was also the first career assist for Letarte, who recorded her first career goal earlier in the week.

Baxter turned aside the only shot on her net to pick up the win (1-0) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce and record her first career shutout. Philbrick stopped six of the 10 shots sent her way and took the loss (0-2) between the pipes for Assumption.

Franklin Pierce controlled the game throughout the evening to the tune of a 14-1 advantage in shots and an 11-3 edge in penalty corners. It marked the fewest shot attempts allowed by a Ravens backline since at least 2004 (full game-by-game stats are only available back through 2005 at press time), and could possibly be a program record.

The last time Franklin Pierce held an opponent to one shot on goal or less was much more recent, on Nov. 6, 2010, when Saint Michael's attempted three shots in Rindge, though none were on target. It is the eighth time since the start of the current senior class' career (2008) that the Ravens have held an opponent to one or fewer shots on goal.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Sept. 10, when they travel to C.W. Post for a non-conference contest. Game time is set for noon at Hickox Field in Brookville, N.Y. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Tuesday, Sept. 20, against Merrimack at 7 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).