Paciello, Harron net first career goals

WINCHENDON, Mass. (November 10, 2012) – Freshman forwards Michaela Faia (Malden, Mass.) and Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) scored 20 seconds apart in the late stages of the first period on Saturday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team was ultimately defeated by Stevenson, 4-3, at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Freshman forward Lindsey Lawrence scored twice, including the game-winner, for Stevenson.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 0-4-0, while Stevenson improves to 3-1-0. Both teams are in their first season at the varsity level. Stevenson finished off the two-game weekend sweep, despite being outshot, 38-27, on the afternoon.

Much of the first period went without a goal before the Ravens struck twice in the final 21 seconds of the frame to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission. The first came on the power play, with Stevenson freshman defenseman Brooke Webber in the box for holding. Freshman forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) sent the puck into the slot, where Faia redirected it home at the 19:39 mark for her second goal of the campaign.

It looked like that would be the only scoring of the first period before Paciello intercepted a breakout pass by the Mustangs just inside the blue line in the waning seconds of the stanza. She then found herself on a partial breakaway and snapped a shot from the slot that found the net with less than a second remaining in the period to double the Franklin Pierce lead to 2-0.

Stevenson would surge back with three goals in the second to jump to a 3-2 lead. At the 2:21 mark, freshman forward McKenzie Taggart took a feed from fellow freshman forward Molly O'Neil in the right-wing circle and snapped off a shot. Franklin Pierce junior goaltender Amelea Gray (Bozeman, Mont.) got a piece of it, but the puck fell behind her. Freshman forward Jessie Capanelli was waiting to stuff home her first career goal.

Just 4:22 later, freshman forward Megan Donahue took a shot through traffic which turned into her first career goal, while freshman forward Ana-Sophia Brande picked up the assist. Later, at the 16:45 mark, the Mustangs would take the lead as freshman forward Erin McLoughlin sent the puck into the slot from the left side. Lawrence was waiting there to put away her first career score.

After the second intermission, Franklin Pierce would tie the game at the 4:43 mark of the third off a slick passing play down low. With control of the puck in the left-wing corner, freshman defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburgh, Pa.) spun and sent a pass through an open lane across the slot. Harron was stationed in front of the right post to salt away her first career goal.

Lawrence and the Mustangs would find the game-winner just past the midway point of the final stanza, at the 10:35 mark. An ill-conceived breakout pass by the Ravens came across the slot, where Lawrence lay in wait. She picked off the pass, which left her all alone against Gray. Lawrence beat the netminder for her second goal of the game, which would prove to be the afternoon's final tally.

Gray made 23 saves and took the loss (0-4-0) in front of the net for Franklin Pierce. Freshman Sarah Modzelewski turned aside 35 shots to pick up the win (2-0-0) between the pipes for Stevenson.

The Ravens return to the ice on Friday, Nov. 16, when they hit the road for the first time with a trip to take on another first-year program, University of New England. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Harold Alfond Forum in Biddeford, Maine.

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 women's ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).