Ravens outshoot Mavericks, 18-7

RINDGE, N.H. (October 11, 2014) – Junior midfielder Erin Trainor (Auburn, Mass.) and senior back Adria Liseno (Somersworth, N.H.) each made defensive saves to preserve a scoreless tie on Saturday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team was felled in a shootout, 1-0, by Mercy in non-conference play at Sodexo Field. Senior midfielder Giana Magosin and freshman back Geraldine Grandprez scored for Mercy in the shootout.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-6 (0-2 Northeast-10), while Mercy improves to 1-10. For Mercy, the win snapped an 11-game losing streak and was the team's first win since a 1-0 win over the Ravens on Oct. 31, 2013 in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. For Franklin Pierce, it was the first time the team had gone to a shootout since a 4-3 win against Assumption on Sept. 14, 2006, also at Sodexo Field.

After sputtering through the first half, the Ravens turned up the heat in the second half to the tune of a 12-3 advantage in shot attempts, a 7-1 edge in penalty corners and a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal. Franklin Pierce could not solve Mercy freshman goalkeeper Olivia Kelly however, as she finished with a seven-save shutout -- her first of the season -- and ultimately picked up the win (1-10) in the shootout. At the other end of the field, freshman goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) was tested just twice and stopped both to pick up her first collegiate shutout as well, though she was hit with the loss (2-6) after the shootout.

The Franklin Pierce offense was a bit snake-bit on Saturday afternoon, as it hit the post twice in the second half. In the 40th minute, Trainor let a shot fly from the right side of the circle which beat Kelly clean, but clanged off the inside of the left post and refused to cross the goal line. Later, in the 62nd minute, freshman midfielder Erin Smith (Templeton, Mass.) put the ball off the outside of the right post.

Mercy also hit one post in the game, but the best chances for the Mavericks were stymied by the Franklin Pierce defense, rather than the goal frame. In the 13th minute, the ball came free to Magosin in the middle of the circle and she took a shot which beat Williams and was ticketed for the inside of the left post. Liseno was in front of the left post though and swatted the shot out of midair to preserve the scoreless tie. Much later, in the 63rd minute, Grandprez caught Williams out of position and sent a shot towards what was essentially an empty cage. Trainor was able to run the ball down from behind, make a lunge and steer it away from trouble to prevent Mercy taking the lead.

Franklin Pierce shot first in each round of the shootout and, after each team came up empty on the first go-around, Mercy jumped to the lead as sophomore midfielder Shannon O'Leary (Florence, Mass.) was denied by Kelly, while Magosin was able to beat Williams. Junior back Natalia Bachelder (South Berwick, Maine) took the third attempt for Franklin Pierce and found the back of the cage, but Grandprez answered for Mercy to retain the lead. Both sides came up empty in the fourth round, which left Franklin Pierce in need of a goal from freshman forward Carly Canavan (Kingston, N.Y.) to extend the shootout. Canavan was turned aside by Kelly, which sent Mercy away with the 1-0 victory.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, Oct. 14, when they travel to Southern New Hampshire for a non-conference contest. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Larkin Field in Manchester, N.H. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Saturday, Oct. 18 against Southern Connecticut State at 4 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).