RINDGE, N.H. (October 15, 2016) – A week removed from arguably its sloppiest outing of the season, the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team put a much better foot forward at Sodexo Field on Saturday afternoon, trading blows throughout the game with No. 9 nationally ranked Adelphi. Ultimately, eight penalty corners without a goal would loom large, as Adelphi freshman forward Elissa Frein banged home the game-winning goal just 2:25 into overtime to send the Panthers away with a 1-0 win in Northeast-10 Conference play.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 3-10 (0-8 Northeast-10) and has lost three in a row, while Adelphi improves to 10-4 (6-2 Northeast-10). The Ravens are now 0-3 in overtime games on the year and have lost all three by 1-0 margins.

The game's only goal came after regulation had gone by the boards without a goal on Saturday. The Franklin Pierce defense, which had staved off a hard charge from Adelphi over the final 15 minutes of regulation, was under siege from the first minutes of overtime. The levee would finally break in the 73rd minute for Frein's game-winner. Junior goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) made saves in quick succession on junior forward Elizabeth Mercuri and Frein, which appeared to stymie the immediate threat. However, the defense could not clear the circle and the ball wound up back on Frein's stick in the goalmouth. The freshman finished from there for her team-leading 10th goal of the season.

Earlier in the day, the first half featured a glut of midfield play, though it also saw sustained possession -- if not pressure -- at each end of the field. Despite opportunities with the ball inside the circle at either end, neither side would seriously threaten to score until an Adelphi chance in the waning minutes. A defensive breakdown in the 34th minute led to freshman back Danielle Powers carrying the ball into the circle all alone on the right side. Williams was equal to the task however, turning aside the point-blank scoring chance.

Franklin Pierce upped the ante early in the second half, with its three best scoring chances all coming in the opening 20 minutes of the stanza. In the 42nd minute, junior forward Carly Canavan (Kingston, N.Y.) was stuffed at close range while attempting to lift a shot past Adelphi junior goalkeeper Amanda Gargiulo, while the follow from sophomore forward Ashley Silva (Laconia, N.H.) sailed wide of the right post. Off a corner in the 45th minute, junior back Lauren Grimard (Turners Falls, Mass.) had the ball and space to shoot on the left side of the circle, but could not convert, as Gargiulo made the pad save. In the 54th minute, Gargiulo was at the center of a turnover which left Canavan with the ball and a shooting lane with the goalie out of position, but her shot went into the Adelphi defense and was deflected away.

As the game continued deep into the second half, Adelphi began to bear down and was able to significantly ramp up the pressure over the final 15 minutes of the game. The Panthers earned four corners over the final 11 minutes of the contest and pressured the Franklin Pierce goal for much of the remaining time, but could not break the deadlock in regulation, setting up Frein's overtime winner.

Williams (3-10) finished with six saves against seven shots on goal in the loss for Franklin Pierce. Gargiulo (10-3) made six saves as well to pick up the win and post her fourth shutout of the season.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, Oct. 19, when they remain home to host Southern New Hampshire in a Northeast-10 contest. Game time is set for 4 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).