Zahensky piles up 16 more saves

RINDGE, N.H. (September 27, 2013) – Facing its second nationally ranked opponent in three days and arguably the more difficult foe of the two, the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team grinded through another resilient effort on Friday night against No. 5 nationally ranked LIU Post. The effort alone would not be enough however, as LIU Post collected a 20-3 advantage in shots on goal on the way to a 4-0 win in Northeast-10 Conference play at Sodexo Field. Freshman goalkeeper Amy Zahensky (Bow, N.H.) made a season-best 16 saves in front of the Franklin Pierce cage.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 1-6 (0-1 Northeast-10), while LIU Post improves to 7-0 (2-0 Northeast-10). It was the first Northeast-10 meeting between the two programs, as LIU Post has joined the Conference as an associate member in field hockey this season.

Despite being unable to solve the LIU Post defense enough to record a shot attempt in the first half, Franklin Pierce held the Pioneer attack -- which had generated 31 goals in its first six games -- at bay for the first 23 minutes. In the 24th, LIU Post found the only goal it would need on the night, as junior forward Lyn-Marie Wilson tracked down a loose ball at the top-right edge of the circle. She turned and unleashed a drive which beat everybody and found the cage inside the left post for her sixth goal of the season.

Just over 11 minutes later, the Pioneers struck again to take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break. Senior forward Carlee Dragon was stuffed nearly point-blank on a strong scoring chance from the left-wing side of the circle. She followed her own shot and deflected the rebound over to sophomore forward Keliann Margiotta in front of the right post. The latter banged the ball home for her seventh goal of the campaign.

LIU Post struck twice in quick succession in the second half, in the 53rd and 58th minutes, to create the 4-0 final. First, graduate student midfielder Dani Crouse found herself with the ball and a shooting lane just inside the top-left portion of the circle. She wired a shot from there to the top-left corner of the cage for her third score of the year. Later, on a broken play off of a penalty corner, the Pioneers worked the ball to junior back Taylor-Bay Sutton above the circle on the right-wing side. Sutton stepped inside the circle and sent the ball towards the cage, and junior back Stephanie Ruhle redirected it around Zahensky and in for her fourth goal of the year.

Zahensky and the Franklin Pierce defense were under fire most of the night, as LIU Post piled up advantages of 28-6 in shot attempts, the aforementioned 20-3 in shots on goal and 13-3 in penalty corners. Still, she came away with 16 saves, her highest total of the campaign, while taking the loss (1-6). At the other end of the field, freshman Erika Parks turned aside all three shots on her cage to pick up the win (4-0) and post her first collegiate shutout.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, Oct. 1, when they remain home to host Merrimack in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 6 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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce field hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).