Four Ravens scored multiple goals, including hat trick from Erik Kelly

Erik Kelly scored three goals on a game-high 15 shots in his Ravens debut.

HILLBURN, N.Y. (March 13, 2013) – Four Ravens tallied multiple goals on Wednesday to lead the Franklin Pierce University men’s lacrosse team to a season-opening 12-5 win over Dominican (N.Y.) at Torne Valley Field in Hillburn, N.Y. Franklin Pierce improved to 1-0, while the Chargers dipped to 0-2.

Sophomore midfielder Erik Kelly (Tewksbury, Mass.) had a fine debut in a Ravens uniform, as the Manhattan College transfer pumped in a trio of goals on a game-high 15 shots. Another Raven who had a strong debut was freshman attackman Casey Burnett (Windham, N.H.), who logged a three-point afternoon in his first collegiate game with a pair of goals and an assist. Senior midfielder Eric Harries (Dunstable, Mass.) notched three assists on the afternoon for a three-point day.

Junior middies Alex Connolly (West Newbury, Mass.) and Bryan Bourque (Goffstown, N.H.) each tossed in a pair of makers to help Franklin Pierce earn its fourth-consecutive season-opening victory. Connolly officially went on record as scoring the first goal of the campaign as he sent home a strike a little more than seven minutes into the contest to kick-start the barrage.

Franklin Pierce rang up a 60-34 edge in shots, including putting an amazing 39 on goal. The Chargers threw 20 shots on net as Ravens sophomore goalie Don Denman (Exeter, N.H.) turned aside 14 of 18 shots he faced to earn the win, while also moving into first place in school history for career wins in net with eight.

Dominican was only able to solve Denman four times before he gave way to sophomore Hilbert Stearns (Little Compton, R.I.) for the final 2:33, as Stearns saw his first collegiate action in goal. Thomas Dertinger scored a pair of tallies for the Chargers.

Dertinger’s first goal of the game knotted the score at 1-1 midway through the opening stanza, but the Ravens exploded for three goals in the second quarter. Kelly got the run started with a man-up marker three minutes into the frame off a feed from Burnett, and the Ravens struck twice in the final 1:54 of the half, starting with Bourque’s unassisted goal then capped off by Connolly’s second marker 70 seconds later.

The four goals were part of a 32-8 advantage Franklin Pierce totaled in shots during the opening 30 minutes.

Dominican trimmed the deficit to 4-2 with 8:54 remaining in the third quarter on Dertiger’s second goal, but Franklin Pierce put down any hopes of a comeback by bridging the third and fourth quarters with six-straight goals to open up a commanding 10-2 lead. Kelly sent home his second man-up goal to spark the surge, which was aided by a pair of unassisted tallies from Burnett. Sophomores Kevin Dargin (Littleton, Mass.) and Cody MacLellan (Keene, N.H.) each ripped home a shot, while Bourque capped it with his second tally at the 9:44 mark of the fourth.

Freshman middie Brenden Caldeira (Sandwich, Mass.) scored his first collegiate tally later in the frame and Kelly completed the hat trick with just 2:33 remaining.

The Ravens’ large goal total was aided by the fact they were a perfect 19-for-19 in clearing attempts. Franklin Pierce also held a 12-9 edge in face offs and notched a 48-40 margin in ground balls.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Saturday when the Ravens play host to Saint Rose at 12 p.m. on Sodexo Field in Rindge.

For more information on Franklin Pierce men’s lacrosse, please visit the team’s page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men’s lacrosse apparel can do so on the athletic department’s online store at athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)