Field Hockey Can’t Contain Saint Michael’s, Falls 7-1 on Road

Ravens visit Assumption Tuesday

COLCHESTER, Vt. (September 27, 2014) – Senior forward Cassaundra Davis piled up seven points on three goals and two assists on Saturday afternoon, as Saint Michael's scored four first-half goals en route to a 7-1 win over the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team in non-conference play at Duffy Field. Junior forward Sara Michaels (Goshen, Conn.) scored the lone goal for the Ravens in defeat.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-3 (0-1 Northeast-10), while Saint Michael's improves to 4-2 (0-0 Northeast-10). The two teams will meet again for their Northeast-10 Conference contest on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at Sodexo Field in Rindge.

Saint Michael's struck early and often out of the gate on Saturday afternoon, as the Purple Knights poured in four goals in the opening 20 minutes to take a commanding lead they would never relinquish. Junior forward Mackenzie Hudson got things started, just 67 seconds into the proceedings, when she banged home a rebound for her first goal of the season.

Davis got on the board for the first time on the afternoon in the fourth minute, with her fourth goal of the campaign. Saint Michael's broke in two-on-none behind the defense with just freshman goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) left to beat. Davis took a feed from senior forward Samantha Burns and finished off the first goal of what would become her fourth career hat trick.

Davis made it a double in the 16th minute, as she took a centering feed from junior midfielder Morgan Mazanec and put it into the right corner for her fifth of the year. The second goal of the season for freshman midfielder Marjolein Kerstjens pushed the lead to 4-0 in the 20th minute. The initial shot on the play was deflected away by Williams, but Kerstjens was on the scene to put the rebound to the back of the cage.

Franklin Pierce finally got on the board to stop the bleeding in the 34th minute, with just 1:20 remaining until halftime. The Ravens beat Saint Michael's senior goalkeeper Jackie Chisholm twice on the play, but the initial attempt was stymied by the fourth defensive save of the season for senior midfielder Shannon Rice. Michaels was able to put the rebound away for her first goal of the season to end a long personal scoreless streak. Michaels scored twice in her very first collegiate game, at Adelphi on Sept. 4, 2012, but had not found the net again until Saturday, her 27th game as a Raven.

Saint Michael's tacked on a trio of insurance goals in the second half to create the 7-1 final. In the 50th minute, Davis and Burns came into the circle with numbers in a two-on-one break. This time, Davis setup Burns for the latter's second goal of the year. In the 53rd minute, the Purple Knights turned a penalty corner play into a sister act, as junior forward Megan Deschaine assisted on the first collegiate goal for her younger sister, freshman midfielder Jenna Deschaine.

Davis capped the scoring with her sixth of the season in the 60th minute to finish off the hat trick. Sophomore forward Abby Dusha centered the ball and Davis finished into the left corner for the game's final goal. It was the second time Davis had struck for three goals in a game against Franklin Pierce in her career. Previously, during her freshman campaign, she scored all three Saint Michael's goals, including the 66th-minute game-winner, in a 3-2 win for the Purple Knights at Sodexo Field on Sept. 22, 2011.

Outside of the score itself, the final statistics did not tell the tale of a blowout. The shot attempts were nearly even on the day, as were the penalty corners, as Franklin Pierce held 14-13 and 6-5 advantages, respectively. Saint Michael's was slightly more efficient in putting its shots on target, as the Purple Knights held an 11-9 edge in shots on goal.

Williams finished with four saves and took the loss (2-3) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce. Chisholm made seven saves at the other end of the field to pick up the win (3-0) in front of the net for Saint Michael's.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, Sept. 30, when they travel to Assumption for a non-conference contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Multi-Sport Stadium in Worcester, Mass. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Saturday, Oct. 11 against Mercy at 1 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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce field hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).