Ravens convert three times in eight power-play chances.

WINCHENDON, Mass. (December 1, 2012) – Freshman forwards Colleen Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) and Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) scored twice each on Saturday afternoon, with Paciello providing the game-winner, as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team posted a 5-2 win over University of New England at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Junior forward Jenni Poulin scored both goals in defeat for UNE.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 3-5-0, while UNE falls to 0-5-0. Franklin Pierce held a 38-17 advantage in shots on goal as it finished off a three-game sweep of the season series against UNE.

It would be Poulin and the Nor'easters who struck first in the matinee contest, at the 6:20 mark of the first period. From the right side, in the midst of a transition play after a Franklin Pierce turnover, freshman defenseman Lauryn Huck sent a pass into the slot to Poulin, who one-timed home her second goal of the season. It would be the only goal of the opening stanza.

The Ravens would respond with three straight goals in the opening 11:57 of the second period to jump to a 3-1 lead. Just 95 seconds into the frame, Doucette jammed home the rebound of a shot by freshman defenseman Hayley Arnold (Barre, Vt.) on the power play for her fifth goal of the campaign. Freshman forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) gave Franklin Pierce a lead it would never relinquish with another goal on the man-advantage at the 7:48 mark. She took a feed from freshman defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburg, Pa.) and snapped a shot to the back of the net from the left-wing circle to match Doucette with her fifth goal of the year.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead to 3-1 at 11:57 with Paciello's first of two unassisted goals on the afternoon. She jumped on a loose puck in front of the right post and took a shot that UNE freshman goaltender Courtney Kendall appeared to make the stop on. However, she could not maintain control of the puck, as it trickled behind her and over the goal line for Paciello's second goal of the year.

UNE pulled back within a goal with a power-play marker at 16:00. Freshman forward Shannon Reynolds sent the puck to Huck at the right point and the latter wound and fired. Her shot went wide of the right post, but rebounded off the endboards and directly to Poulin at the left post before Franklin Pierce junior goaltender Amelea Gray (Bozeman, Mont.) could react and slide across the crease. Poulin put the puck into the yawning net for her second goal of the night.

It would take until beyond the midway point of the third period for Franklin Pierce to find an insurance goal, but the Ravens made it 4-2 with a power-play goal at 11:10. Doucette forced a turnover at the bottom of the right circle and snapped home her second goal of the afternoon. Just 45 seconds later, Paciello stretched the lead to 5-2 when she found the puck amidst a scramble in front of the net and put away her second goal of the game as well.

The flow of the game was marred all afternoon long by incessant trips to the penalty box, as the two teams combined for 17 penalties totaling 34 minutes. Each side had eight power-play opportunities, with UNE capitalizing once and Franklin Pierce converting three times.

Gray made 15 saves to pick up the win (3-5-0) for Franklin Pierce and record the first set of back-to-back wins in program history. Kendall stopped 33 shots and took the loss (0-2-0) between the pipes for UNE.

The Ravens return to the ice on Friday, Dec. 7, when they remain home to host Plymouth State. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

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).