Pilitsis posts five-save clean sheet

Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (August 27, 2009) – Sophomore goalkeeper Alexander Pilitsis (Brunswick, Maine) turned aside all five shots he faced and senior midfielder Kensaku Tsuji (Tokushima, Japan) scored the game-winning goal in the first half on Thursday night as the No. 16 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University men’s soccer team opened the season with a 3-0 home victory in non-conference play over No. 2 Dowling at Sodexo Field.

With the win, Franklin Pierce opens the season at 1-0 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Dowling falls to 0-1 (0-0 East Coast) with the loss. The win gave Franklin Pierce Head Coach Craig Stewart his first career victory in his initial game as a collegiate bench boss.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the 21st minute when the Dowling defense turned the ball over and Tsuji found the ball on his feet at the top of the penalty area. Tsuji took the ball up the middle and pumped a shot through Dowling junior goalkeeper Matt Thavenius to give the Ravens a 1-0 lead. Franklin Pierce pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 26th minute on a nice passing play down the right side. Sophomore midfielder Victor Goncalves (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) flicked the ball to graduate student midfielder Frantz Francois (West Palm Beach, Fla.), who made a run down the right side. Francois attacked the box from the right side and slipped a shot inside the far post to double the Raven lead.

Pilitsis was tested in the 31st minute, but was equal to the challenge. Dowling junior back Chris Cano (Staten Island, N.Y.) was sprung on the left side of the box into a one-on-one situation with the keeper, but Pilitsis was able to force the shot outside the near post to preserve the 2-0 lead.

Dowling held a 7-6 edge in shots in the second half as each team attempted 13 shots in the contest. Each team attempted one corner kick in the second half as Franklin Pierce finished with a 4-3 advantage in that department.

Franklin Pierce held a slim, 7-6 advantage in shots over the opening 45 minutes and enjoyed a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.

The Ravens put the game away in the 70th minute on a solo rush by sophomore midfielder Diego Tabares (Seekonk, Mass.), who swept from right to left across the top of the box and uncorked a shot which beat Thavenius inside the far post to create the 3-0 final score.

Pilitsis made five saves in his Franklin Pierce debut to post the clean sheet and earn the win (1-0-0). Thavenius made four saves against seven shots to take the loss (0-1-0) between the pipes for Dowling.

The Ravens return to the pitch on Sunday, Aug. 29, when they host C.W. Post in a non-conference contest. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge. Franklin Pierce remains at home next weekend when it hosts the Franklin Pierce Labor Day Classic. The Ravens game on Friday, Sept. 4 against Bridgeport at 7 p.m. is part of Pierce Pride Kickoff 2009, featuring games, giveaways, promotions and a postgame fireworks display, courtesy of Atlas Pyrotechnics.