Preber scores seventh of season

WALTHAM, Mass. (October 21, 2015) – For the third straight game, the Franklin Pierce University men's soccer team surrendered the game's decisive goal with less than 20 minutes to play in regulation on Wednesday afternoon. This time, a 2-0 lead in the 67th minute was undone by goals in the 80th and 84th minutes, as the Ravens ultimately played to a 2-0 draw on the road at Bentley in Northeast-10 Conference play.

After the draw, Franklin Pierce now stands at 4-7-3 (2-5-3 Northeast-10), while Bentley moves to 7-5-1 (6-3-1 Northeast-10).

Franklin Pierce began opening the 2-0 lead in the 22nd minute, with the only goal of the first half. Freshman midfielder Lloyd Ross (London, England) played a long ball over the top of the of the defense, which senior forward Marius Preber (Jessheim, Norway) was able to get on the other end of. The latter volleyed the service home for his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Just past the hour mark, in the 67th minute, the Ravens would double the lead to 2-0, with what may have been seen as an insurance marker at the time. Graduate student forward Quincy Appah (Accra, Ghana) made a cross into the box from the right wing, which found the feet of freshman midfielder Victor DaCosta (Rehoboth, Mass.). DaCosta put his finish inside the far post for his third goal of the campaign.

The Ravens would hold a lead into the final 20 minutes, though Bentley halved the deficit in the 80th minute. Senior forward Scott Levy played the ball into the goalmouth, where it ricocheted off of the defense. Ultimately, senior midfielder Nick Hoffman was able to corral the deflected ball and put it home from five yards out for his team-leading fifth goal of the year.

Hoffman was not done yet, as he also struck for the game-tying goal in the 84th minute, just 4:23 after his initial tally. Junior midfielder Jose Tirado took a free kick and sent it towards the goal. Hoffman was able to get his head to the service and put it into the net from 10 yards out for what would stand as the game's final goal. After the remaining 6:17 of regulation and all 20 minutes of overtime went without further scoring, the game ended in the 2-2 tie.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jordan LeGuyader (Jersey, United Kingdom) finished with two saves against four shots on goal in the tie (4-6-3) in net for Franklin Pierce. At the other end of the field, senior Jack Blatchford (7-5-1) made five saves against seven shots on goal for Bentley.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 24, when they return home to host Saint Rose in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge.

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 men's soccer can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).