RINDGE, N.H. (September 23, 2017) – Coming off a heartbreaking loss in double overtime on Wednesday night, the road was not set to get any easier for the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team, with three nationally-ranked opponents next on the schedule. However, the Ravens bounced back in style on Saturday afternoon at Sodexo Field. Facing a Merrimack team which dominated play in a non-conference game between the two just two weeks ago, Franklin Pierce never trailed while posting a 2-1 upset win over the No. 10 Warriors. Junior forward Ashley Silva (Laconia, N.H.) provided the game-winning goal in the 53^rd minute to break a 1-1 tie.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 5-3 (2-1 NE10), while Merrimack falls to 5-3 (1-2 NE10). For the Ravens, it was the first win over Merrimack since a 4-0 win at Sodexo Field on Sept. 8, 2010, early in a season where the Warriors finished 8-11, which was the last time they finished under .500 prior to their recent run of success. It snapped a nine-game losing streak for Franklin Pierce against Merrimack; the Warriors had outscored the Ravens 37-7 over the nine-game stretch.

In a complete reversal of the game between the two teams earlier in the month, Franklin Pierce took the game to Merrimack over the game's first 20 minutes. Along the way, the Ravens cashed in the opening score, in the 14^th minute, after Merrimack was whistled for a violation in the goalmouth, which resulted in a penalty stroke. Senior forward Carly Canavan (Kingston, N.Y.) went left with her shot and lifted it into the back of the cage for her third goal of the season.

For Canavan, it was the 29^th goal of her career, which leaves her just five behind Tia Levins '12 for the program's all-time goal-scoring record. Canavan later added an assist, for her 68^th career point, which is only five behind Levins for the program record as well.

Merrimack would even the score just 1:56 before halftime, in the 34^th minute. Junior back Samantha Bartush served the ball towards the goal from the top of the circle, on the left-wing side. Senior forward Rylie Hammond was stationed in front of the right post and deflected the ball to the back of the cage for her team-leading seventh goal of the campaign.

Things started quiet on the other side of halftime, before Franklin Pierce had a strong chance off a corner in the 51^st minute. The Ravens worked the ball to senior midfielder Erin Smith (Templeton, Mass.), who had room to tee up a shot from the edge of the circle on the left side. Her shot got through what traffic was there, but whistled wide of the cage, outside the left post.

It would not be long before the Ravens did cash in the tiebreaking goal, which came in the 53^rd minute. Stick-handling with the ball outside the top of the circle, Canavan found room to step inside the arc on the right side and fired the ball towards the cage. Silva was stationed en route and deftly deflected the ball past Merrimack senior goalkeeper Kayla Raneri for her first goal of the season.

Now trailing late, Merrimack ramped up the pressure over what time remained in the game. The best chance for the Warriors came in the 61^st minute. A feed from the right side found senior midfielder Colleen Ellis wide open in front of the left post. Ellis had a mostly-open cage to shoot at, but fanned on her one-time attempt, and the Ravens would retain the 2-1 lead through the final horn.

Senior goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) finished with six saves against seven shots on goal to pick up the win (5-3) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce. For Williams, it was the 25^th win of her career, which tied her with Brittany Nyzio '12 atop the program's all-time wins list.

For Merrimack, sophomore goalkeeper Katharina Ohmen started and made four saves against five shots on goal in the first half, surrendering only the Canavan penalty stroke. She was relieved at halftime by Raneri (0-1), who stopped six of seven shots in the second half and suffered the loss for Merrimack.

The Ravens return the field on Tuesday, Sept. 26, when they host No. 5 Saint Anselm in an NE10 contest. Game time is set for 7 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 apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).