Baker (2-1-3), Brolsma (1-2-3), Ketterman (0-3-3) each notch three points

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 9, 2015) – Freshman forward Hailee Craig (Canton, Mich.) scored twice, including the game-winning goal, in her collegiate debut, while junior forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) scored twice and added an assist on Friday night, as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team opened the second half of the season loudly, with a 6-2 win over William Smith in non-conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Freshman forward Alex Brolsma (Bloomington, Minn.) had 2-1-3 and sophomore forward Marisa Ketterman (Palmer, Alaska) dished out three assists on the night as the Ravens made it a trio of forwards with three points each.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 10-2-1 (5-1-0 ECAC East), while William Smith -- a first-year program -- falls to 2-9-1 (1-6-1 ECAC West). The contest marked the opening of the second half for both squads and was the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The two sides will meet again on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

Each team found the back of the net in the opening six minutes on Friday night, as each goalie briefly looked a little shaky after the long layoff at the semester break. Just 4:45 into the opening stanza of her first collegiate game, Craig picked up her first career goal after sitting out the season's first half. Ketterman and Brolsma picked up the helpers, as they worked the puck to Craig in the high slot. Craig turned to shoot, but did not appear to get much on the shot. As a result, the puck stayed low and seemingly caught William Smith freshman goaltender Megan Messuri off-guard, as it wound up in the back of the net.

The Herons needed just 19 seconds to answer, and this time it was Franklin Pierce sophomore goaltender Noelle White (Corona, Calif.) who appeared to be caught off-guard. Freshman forwards Rachel McKay and Johanna Slicklen teamed to get the puck to freshman defenseman Rebecca Begley at the right point. The latter sent a wrist shot from just inside the blue line which, though lacking any serious speed, managed to flutter over White's glove and find the top-right corner of the net for Begley's first career goal.

Franklin Pierce would later take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission on Baker's ninth goal of the season at the 16:44 mark. Baker took a faceoff in the right-wing circle and won it off to the right side, where sophomore forward Alysha Raimo (Fitchburg, Mass.) -- making her Franklin Pierce debut -- beat her defender and took the puck into the right-wing corner. Baker broke for the net, which resulted in a give-and-go, as Raimo slipped the puck back out front, where Baker jammed it home from the top of the crease.

William Smith again drew even, this time at the 7:52 mark of the second period, on a give-and-go play of its own. With the puck in the high slot, freshman forward Krista Federow laid the puck off into the left circle for fellow freshman, and linemate, Kiley Fewster. Fewster drew a defender towards her, found a passing lane back into the middle and returned the puck to Federow, her cashed in her sixth goal of the season.

It would mark the final time the Herons found the net on the night, as the Ravens poured in three goals in the final 8:48 of the second period and added a final score in the third to pick up the 6-2 victory. First, Craig made her college debut a two-goal game, with her second of the night at 11:12. Brolsma got the puck to Ketterman in the left-wing corner, and the latter centered it to Craig, who finished from just outside the crease.

Just 87 seconds later, Baker found her second of the night as well. Junior defenseman Samantha Bureau (Ottawa, Ontario) got the play started by making her way to open space in the high slot, taking a pass and throwing the puck towards the net. Though her shot was knocked down by the defense, the puck ricocheted into the left-wing corner, where junior forward Colleen Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) was the first player on the scene. Doucette dished the puck to Baker, who made her way out front and put the puck in the top of the net for her third multiple-goal game of the season, all coming in the last five contests. After her third-period assist, Baker now has 10 points (7-3-10) in five games dating back to Dec. 5.

The Franklin Pierce power play, which came into the game at 5-for-58 (8.6%) on the season, would cash in at 16:37 of the second period to push the lead to 5-2. Ketterman started the play from the left-wing side, as she slid a pass to the left point for junior defenseman Hayley Arnold (Barre, Vt.). Arnold wound and fired a slapshot, which was turned aside by Messuri, with the rebound heading off to the right-wing side. Brolsma was unmarked on the far side, at the bottom of the right-wing circle, and flipped the puck into the yawning net for her fifth of the season before Messuri could slide across the crease.

Arnold capped the scoring herself at 2:44 of the third frame to create the 6-2 final. Baker took a faceoff in the left-wing circle and won the draw back to Arnold at the left point. Arnold immediately attempted a shot, though it was deflected en route by the defense. Arnold would score her second goal of the season anyway, as the puck deflected up in the air, made its way over Messuri's shoulder and then dropped into the net.

White finished with 16 saves against 18 shots and picked up the win (7-0-0) in net for Franklin Pierce. At the other end of the ice, Messuri stopped 30 of 36 shots and took the loss (2-5-1) in the crease for William Smith.

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).