Freshman's score caps back-and-forth second half

RINDGE, N.H. (September 23, 2015) – With the game tied 1-1, it appeared a 62nd-minute penalty corner was going to go by the boards for the No. 10 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University field hockey team, but midfielder Raegan Moulton (Baldwinville, Mass.) had other ideas on Wednesday night. The freshman tracked down a loose ball, created her own shot and drove the ball through traffic and past senior goalkeeper Taylor Ross, to give the Ravens a 2-1 win over American International in Northeast-10 Conference play at Sodexo Field.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 5-2 (1-1 Northeast-10), while American International falls to 1-5 (0-2 Northeast-10). It marked the sixth straight game between the two teams which has been decided by just one goal.

After a scoreless first half, the Ravens needed just 2:11 in the second half on Wednesday to take the lead for the first time. Senior midfielder Chelsey Burnell (Porter, Maine) injected a 38th-minute penalty corner to junior forward Andrea Fahey (Hudson, Mass.) on the left side. Fahey drew he defense towards her, and then dished the ball to her right, back into the middle for sophomore forward Erin Smith (Templeton, Mass.). Smith wound, fired and drove the ball inside the left post for her second goal of the season.

The Yellow Jackets drew even in the 55th minute, off of a penalty corner of their own. Junior midfielder Shea Homer took the corner and sent it in to junior midfielder Katie Lombardozzi at the top of the circle on the left-wing side. Lombardozzi drove a shot from there, which ultimately traveled through traffic and slipped inside the right post for her second goal of the season.

The game went into the final 10 minutes tied at 1-1, before Moulton struck for the game-winner in the 62nd minute. Again the goal came as the result of a corner, but this one came in the aftermath of a broken play. Burnell sent the ball in on the left side and, though the designed play broke down from there, the ball ultimately ended up in the top of the circle, near the middle of the field.

Moulton was able to dig the loose ball out from the crowd, possessed it and maneuvered towards the right-wing side in an attempt to create her own shooting lane. She never found a clear path to the cage, but created enough space to uncork a shot through traffic from 10 yards out on the right side. The shot flew through traffic, beat Ross and landed in the back of the goal for Moulton's second goal of the season.

The goal made a winner (4-1) out of sophomore goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.), who finished with five saves against six shots on goal in net for Franklin Pierce. Meanwhile, Ross (0-2) made six stops against eight shots on goal for AIC.

Though the first half had gone scoreless earlier in the day, it did not go without scoring opportunities. In the 31st minute, AIC worked the ball to the right side and drove the ball towards the net from there. The drive was designed as a feed for junior forward Taylor Ruscillo, who had worked her way towards the left post. Ruscillo got her stick to the ball for the deflection, but could not put her re-direct on cage.

Shortly thereafter, Franklin Pierce was awarded a penalty stroke in the 34th minute, which Smith would take. Smith lifted the stroke, sent the ball to the left side and beat Ross, but the shot went wide of the left post and the game remained scoreless.

The Ravens return to the field on Friday, Sept. 25, when they remain home to host Merrimack in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 3 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 can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).