Field Hockey Snaps Six-Game Skid With 3-2 Win at SNHU

Ravens pile up 26 shots on goal

MANCHESTER, N.H. (October 14, 2014) – Sophomore midfielder Andrea Fahey (Hudson, Mass.) had a goal and an assist on Tuesday evening to lead the way for the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team in a 3-2 win over Southern New Hampshire in non-conference play at Larkin Field. Freshman goalkeeper Jill Piacitelli piled up a mind-boggling 23 saves in defeat for SNHU.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 3-6 (0-2 Northeast-10) and snaps a six-game losing streak, while SNHU falls to 1-8 (0-2 Northeast-10). The two teams will meet later in the season for their Northeast-10 Conference contest, on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Sodexo Field in Rindge. Tuesday evening was the first-ever field hockey contest between the two schools, as SNHU is in its first season of varsity competition in the sport.

All five of the game's goals came in the first half in the Queen City on Tuesday night. The Ravens struck first, as an unexpected source broke a goalless drought which had stretched to 284:56 and dated to Sept. 27 at Saint Michael's. In the ninth minute, senior back Britt Lepore (Barnstable, Mass.), who was playing a midfield role on Tuesday, scored the first goal of her career, in her 62nd collegiate game.

SNHU answered in the 15th minute, as junior midfielder Kaitlyn Ramsey netted her first career goal when she put away a feed from freshman forward Mikeala Gauvain. The game would not stay tied long, as Franklin Pierce reclaimed the lead, this time for good, in the 17th minute. Fahey put away her first career goal as well, an unassisted marker.

The Ravens pushed the lead to 3-1 in the 25th minute, as Fahey picked up a helper this time. She set up the third goal of the campaign for senior forward Courtney Kelly (Plymouth, N.H.). SNHU capped the scoring in the 29th minute, as freshman midfielder Brianne Torre put home her second goal of the season off an assist from freshman midfielder Amaris Taylor.

Franklin Pierce dominated the game statistically and kept Piacitelli under siege for much of the evening. The Ravens finished the night with advantages of 34-12 in shot attempts, 26-10 in shots on goal and 16-5 in penalty corners. Freshman goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) made eight saves to pick up the win (3-6) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce.

At the other end of the field, Piacitelli's 23 saves were not enough, as she still suffered the loss (0-2) in goal for SNHU. In their first nine games, the Penmen already have two goalkeeping performances of 20 saves or more, as junior goalkeeper Cassandra Nickerson had 32 stops against Merrimack on Sept. 30. For reference, Franklin Pierce has just eight 20-save performances in its 18-year history, all of which happened during the program's first seven seasons.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 18, when they return home to host Southern Connecticut State in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge.

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).