Moulton nets first career score

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (September 12, 2015) – Unfazed by an early-morning trek to the New York City metro area on Saturday, the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team laid siege to Mercy in the former's first road game of the season. The Ravens played much of the 70 minutes on the offensive, and eventually got a 53rd-minute goal from freshman midfielder Raegan Moulton (Baldwinville, Mass.) -- the game's only score -- to pull out a 1-0 win in non-conference play at Mercy Field.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 4-0 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Mercy falls to 0-3. Already off to the best start in program history, Franklin Pierce's four-game winning streak is now just one off the program record of five, set in 2011.

The Ravens controlled the action from the get-go on Saturday, though neither side would score until well into the second half. Franklin Pierce posted a 12-3 advantage in shot attempts in the first half, en route to a 24-8 margin for the game. Despite piling up 24 shot attempts, the crimson and grey struggled to put shots on target, as the Ravens recorded just six shots on goal, with the remainder either blocked by the defense or sent wide. As a result, shots on goal wound up much closer, with Franklin Pierce holding a 6-4 edge. The Ravens also enjoyed an 11-3 advantage in penalty corners on the afternoon.

The dominating performance finally provided tangible results in the 53rd minute. Moulton wound up with the ball directly in front of the cage and put the ball into the lower-right corner of the goal for her first career score, which would stand as the game-winner. Moulton became the first of the Franklin Pierce freshman corps to find the net in 2015.

The Ravens kept the pressure up in the aftermath of the goal and earned four straight penalty corners in less than three minutes starting in the 62nd minute. In all, Franklin Pierce allowed just one shot attempt over the remainder of the game, which was turned aside by freshman goalkeeper Samantha Geils (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.).

Geils (1-0) stopped all four shots on her cage to pick up a shutout in her collegiate debut. At the other end of the field, Mercy freshman goalkeeper Julia Amell (0-3) made five saves against six shots on goal while taking the loss.

The Ravens return to the field on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when they travel to Saint Anselm for a non-conference contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H.

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 can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).