Raven Standouts:
Younes Addar Khanoussi – 2 goals
Thomas Esperoe – 1 goal
Karl Vernet – Faced 6 shots on goal, Recorded 4 saves

ALBANY, N.Y. (9/23/23) – The number one nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University men's soccer program kept its undefeated streak alive on Saturday after the team squeaked by the Golden Knights of Saint Rose in a 3-2 victory.

With the win, the Ravens move forward with a 6-0 (3-0, NE10) record. St. Rose is now 1-4-2 (0-2-0, NE10) on the season.

The one goal game was the closest contest the Ravens had dealt with since November of 2022 and it was a chippy one as nine yellow cards were handed out between the two teams.

The Golden Knights took the lead just four minutes into the first half. St. Rose graduate student Joao Amaral pushed into the FPU defensive zone and fired a left footer from about 20 yards out. The low shot clipped a Raven defender's foot and hit the back of the net giving the Knights the 1-0 lead.

St. Rose held the lead until the 37^th minute, when Franklin Pierce senior defender Thomas Esperoe (Bremnes, Norway) evened the score. After a St. Rose foul, Jeonimo Ferrando Ferri (Valencia, Spain) was given a free kick about 40 yards from the goal. Ferri kicked the ball far and high and as Ravens and Knights scrambled to get there first, Esperoe leaped up and headed the ball, redirecting it by the Golden Knight's goalkeeper and evening the score 1-1.

Just over a minute later, the Ravens took their first lead of the game. In the 38^th minute, Raven sophomore midfielder Antonio Lampreia Lima (Lisbon, Portugal) received a pass around midfield. As he pushed forward, St. Rose defender Lennart Greifenberg wrapped his arm around Lima's waist pulling him away from the ball resulting in the game's first yellow card. The stoppage let the Ravens set up their offensive attack and just moment later, Lima fired a shot that was saved but landed right in front of FPU's leading goal scorer Younes Addar Khanoussi (Castellon, Spain) who fired the rebound by the St. Rose goalie, giving the Ravens the 2-1 lead.  

Hopes of carrying momentum into the second half were cut short after the score was tied yet again in the 44^th minute. With just 45 seconds left on the clock, Lennart Greifenberg recived a short corner kick and hit a cross over the Raven's defensive zone. Rising above the Raven's, St. Rose's Nikolas Karnesis hit a header that went top right, tying the game 2-2.

Though the teams were even at half, the Ravens outshot the Purple Knights 10 to 5.

After an action packed first half with each team tallying two a-piece, scoring came to a halt in the second and ultimately the lone second half goal decided the game.

In the 62^nd minute, FPU graduate student Alvero Rey Mira (Cabanas, Spain) pushed deep into the offensive zone. Just before reaching the corner, Mira passed to a streaking Khanoussi who buried a one timer to take the lead. From there, the Ravens were able to hold off the Golden Knights from the remaining 28 minutes to win the game. 

NEXT FOR THE RAVENS: The Ravens continue their streak of road games on Tuesday September, 26 when the team will play at Bentley at 3:00 PM.