RINDGE, N.H. (September 3, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team needed less than 10 minutes to seize control of its home opener and take much of the drama out of a Saturday afternoon at Sodexo Field. Sophomore forward Dayna Kowesky (Leominster, Mass.) scored her first career goal in the sixth minute and junior forward Carly Canavan (Kingston, N.Y.) struck in the eighth minute to stake the Ravens to a 2-0 lead, en route to a 3-0 win over Mercy in non-conference play.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 2-0, while Mercy opens its season at 0-1. Franklin Pierce controlled the run of play throughout the afternoon, to the tune of a 17-5 advantage in shot attempts -- including 9-2 in shots on goal -- and a 10-3 edge in penalty corners, though the Ravens would come up empty on all 10 corner chances.

Two quick goals in the opening eight minutes would provide all the offense the Ravens needed in their home opener. In the sixth minute, freshman forward Emma McGonagle (Rowley, Mass.) was the first to find the ball amid a scramble six yards in front of the Mercy cage. She dished the ball around sophomore goalkeeper Julia Amell and off to the right for Kowesky, who was left with an empty goal to finish into for her first collegiate score.

Just 72 seconds later, Canavan -- who scored 10 goals each in her freshman and sophomore campaigns -- struck for the first time as a junior, with an eighth-minute tally. Working from the right side of the circle, she stick-handled around a defender and then put a reverse-stick shot past Amell and into the net to double the lead to 2-0.

Mercy nearly cut the deficit in half in the 27th minute, with its best scoring chance of the day. Franklin Pierce senior back Shannon O'Leary (Florence, Mass.) was dispossessed of the ball near midfield, leading to a breakaway for Mercy sophomore forward Angela Robbins. Junior goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) came off her line as Robbins broke into the circle and smothered the opportunity before Robbins could even unleash a shot.

The Ravens had an opportunity to make it a 3-0 lead in the 32nd minute, when they were awarded a penalty stroke while attacking the Mercy goal. O'Leary took the stroke and lifted a shot to the left side, but was denied by a diving Amell.

Canavan would score again on the other side of halftime, in the 40th minute, to register the seventh multiple-goal game of her career. Junior back Lauren Grimard (Turners Falls, Mass.) dribbled the ball into the circle on the left side and centered the ball to Canavan near the penalty spot. The latter quickly put a shot on goal to bury her second goal of the afternoon.

Williams (2-0) finished with two saves to open the season with her second straight shutout, which was also the sixth of her career. Dating to the end of last season, Williams is currently sporting a shutout streak of 146:17.

At the other end of the field, Amell (0-1) started, played the first half and took the loss after making two saves against four shots on goal. Fellow sophomore Cheradyn Pettit took over for the second half and made four saves against five shots on goal the rest of the way.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, Sept. 7, when they travel to Southern Connecticut State for a non-conference contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Jess Dow Field in New Haven, Conn.

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).