Article Written by Department of Athletics student-staff writer Rich Rosa 

Raven Standouts:

Younes Addar (Castellon, Spain): 1 Goal, 1 Assist & 1 Shot on Goal
Rodrigo Parafita Bestilliero (A Coruna, Spain): 1 Goal, 3 Shots on Goal
Jeronimo Ferrando Ferri (Valencia, Spain): 1 Goal, 1 Assist & 1 Shot on Goal
Alvaro Rey Mira (Cabanas, Spain): 1 Assist
Joao Valente (Gaia, Portugal): 1 Goal, 1 Shot on Goal
Karl Vernet (Miami, FL): 1st Career Clean Sheet

RINDGE, N.H. (9/16/2023) -- The No. 1 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce men's soccer team picked up their first NE-10 conference win of the season at Sodexo Field, winning 4-0 against Bentley University. Before the match, the returning players from last year's Franklin Pierce team received their NCAA Division II National Championship rings.

Franklin Pierce captured their third clean sheet of the season and improved to 4-0-0 (1-0-0 NE-10) with the win, while Bentley falls to 2-3-0 (0-1-0 NE-10).

Franklin Pierce controlled the first half from start to finish as they kept the ball in the attacking zone. The Ravens had quick passes and moved the ball around to get clean looks. The game's first goal came in the 12th minute. Younes Addar (Castellon, Spain) dished the ball into the box to Jeronimo Ferrando Ferri (Valencia, Spain), and he buried it past Bentley goalkeeper Nick Maldarella for his third goal of the season. In the 18th minute, the Falcons turned the ball over in their zone. Alvaro Rey Mira (Cabanas, Spain) sent the ball into the box, and Rodrigo Parafita Bestilliero scored his first goal of the season to make it 2-0 Franklin Pierce. The Ravens outshot the Falcons 10-0 and had a two-goal lead at halftime. The Ravens are undefeated when leading after the first half.

In the second half, Franklin Pierce continued to attack the Bentley back line and had multiple scoring chances. Five minutes into the half, the Ravens had a corner kick opportunity on the near side of the field. Ferri sent the ball into the box, and Addar headed the ball over the head of Maldarella for his fifth goal in four matches to make it 3-0 Ravens. In the 81st minute, Joao Valente (Gaia, Portugal) scored his second goal of the season to make it 4-0 Franklin Pierce. Franklin Pierce's initial shot went off the hands of Malderella and with nobody guarding Valente, he poked the ball past the keeper.

Franklin Pierce outshot Bentley 17-2. Senior goalkeeper Karl Vernet (Miami, FL) made one save in his first career start as a member of the Ravens and picked up the clean sheet. Malderella made seven saves for the Falcons in the loss.

NEXT UP FOR THE RAVENS: Franklin Pierce heads north to Colchester, Vermont, on Wednesday, September 20, as they take on St. Michael's at 6:30 p.m.