Ravens back in action Thursday against Saint Michael's

RINDGE, N.H. (September 20, 2011) – Sophomore midfielder Jessica Otis scored the only goal No. 7 nationally ranked Merrimack would need in the first half on Tuesday night, as the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team dropped a 4-0 decision in non-conference play at Sodexo Field.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-4 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Merrimack improves to 6-1 (0-0 Northeast-10). The two teams will play their Northeast-10 Conference contest on Oct. 6 at Merrimack.

Merrimack scored the only goal of the first half a shade over 13 minutes into the contest. The ball came to sophomore midfielder Jessica Otis on the left side, and she looped a shot over Franklin Pierce senior goalkeeper Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.), who was caught off her line. The ball dropped back to the turf inside the goal to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead and Otis her third goal of the season.

The game would remain 1-0 into the halftime break before Merrimack put home three goals in the second half to create the 4-0 final. On the opening possession of the second stanza, junior forward April Daugherty found a seam down the middle and eventually deked the goalkeeper and put the ball inside the right post for her team-leading sixth goal of the season, just 13 seconds into the half.

Later in the second period, both senior midfielder Stephanie Heasman and freshman midfielder Kristen Connolly each scored their first goals of the season. Heasman's came on a penalty stroke, while Connolly one-timed home a pass from junior midfielder Jamie Spano to notch her first career goal.

Baxter made five saves against nine shots on her cage and took the loss (1-1) in front of the net for Franklin Pierce. Junior goalkeeper Kerri Bergquist stopped all three shots sent her way to post her fifth consecutive shutout and pick up the win (6-1) between the pipes for Merrimack. Bergquist ran her current shutout streak to 368:24 with the clean sheet.

The Ravens return to the field on Thursday, Sept. 22, when they remain home to host Saint Michael's in a non-conference contest. Game time is set for 5 p.m. at Sodexo Field.

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).