Francois scores twice to lead Ravens to win

BOXSCORE

WALTHAM, Mass. (October 14, 2009) – The Franklin Pierce University men’s soccer team picked up an important Northeast-10 Conference road win on Wednesday afternoon via a 3-2 triumph over Bentley. The Ravens ran their unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1) and improved to 10-3-2 overall and 8-2-1 in the league. Bentley fell to 5-7-1 overall and 5-3-1 in league play.

Graduate midfielder Frantz Francois (West Palm Beach, Fla.) scored a pair of goals to lead the Ravens attack, while senior Kevin Neumen (Miller Place, N.Y.) added another tally. Francois has now scored three times in the last two contests, while Neumen has scored a goal in consecutive games.

Francois staked Franklin Pierce to a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute as he blasted a shot that deflected off the goalkeeper’s hands and into the net.

Bentley tied it at one at the 18:59 mark, but Neumen put the Ravens back in front, 2-1, in the 42nd minute with his marker. Sophomore midfielder Paul Latif (Newcastle, England) got an assist on the goal as he ripped a corner kick towards the net that Neumen was able to head in past the goalkeeper.

Francois made it a two-goal night in the 63rd minute when he sent a rebound off a Collins Appau (Worecester, Mass.) shot past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1 Ravens. Francois leads the team with nine goals this season.

Bentley clawed back to within a goal at 3-2 in the 67th minute. However, Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Vinny Papageorgiou (Wilmington, Mass.) made the saves when needed to preserve the lead and the victory. The reigning Northeast-10 Goalkeeper of the Week raised his record to 8-2-1 on the campaign.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Saturday when it plays host to Stonehill in Sodexo Field at 7 p.m. For more information on Franklin Pierce men’s soccer, please visit the team’s page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.)