Baker nets game-winner

BIDDEFORD, Maine. (November 21, 2014) – Freshman forward Alex Brolsma (Bloomington, Minn.) had a goal and an assist on Saturday afternoon to run her scoring streak to five games and help the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team to a 4-1 win at University of New England in ECAC East play at Harold Alfond Forum. Freshman forward Alexis Hall had the lone goal in defeat for UNE.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 5-1-0 (4-1-0 ECAC East) and has now won five in a row after a season-opening loss at Saint Anselm. University of New England falls to 2-5-0 (1-5-0 ECAC East) with the loss.

For the second straight day, the Ravens came out firing on all cylinders in the first period, as they piled up a 14-2 advantage in shots on goal over the opening 20 minutes. Again, however, the team struggled to find the back of the net, despite the dominance, as the crimson and grey struck just once. The goal came quickly, 91 seconds into the proceedings, from the stick of sophomore forward Lanie Matsumoto (Fort Collins, Colo.), who jammed home a rebound for her first goal of the season. Junior forward Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) had the original shot on the play and picked up the lone assist.

Franklin Pierce struck twice in the opening seven minutes of the middle stanza to balloon the lead to 3-0. Junior forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) had the eventual game-winning goal at the 4:25 mark, with her third score of the season. Baker brought the puck up the left-wing side, cut into the slot, deked the goalie and flipped a backhand shot inside the post. Sophomore forward Marisa Ketterman (Palmer, Alaska) and Brolsma dished out the assists.

Less than three minutes later, Brolsma added her fourth goal of the season -- to tie Ketterman for the team lead -- at the 6:45 mark. Junior defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburgh, Pa.) sent the puck to sophomore defenseman Katie Flynn (East Sandwich, Mass.) at the point, and the latter let fly from there. Brolsma was stationed between Flynn and the net, and redirected the shot en route to beat UNE sophomore goaltender Sydney Helmbrecht. Brolsma now has nine points over the last five games (4-5-9).

The goal spelled the end of the day for Helmbrecht, who was lifted in favor of junior Samantha Scobee.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead as high as 4-0, as junior forward Colleen Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) scored her third goal of the season at the 5:43 mark of the third period. Doucette finished off the play from point-blank range, while sophomore forward Nina Danforth (Stratford, Conn.) contributed the lone assist.

UNE got on the board with 5:29 to play to avoid the shutout and create the 4-1 final. It was the first collegiate goal for Hall, who was at the top of the crease on the power play to put away a centering feed from junior forward Marissa Clifford-Biederman. Sophomore forward Gabriella Moscato added a helper as well.

Sophomore goaltender Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.) made the start in net for Franklin Pierce, stopped 27 of the 28 shots on her goal and picked up the win (2-1-0). Helmbrecht made 21 saves against 24 shots over the first 26:45, and would ultimately suffer the loss (1-3-0) in goal for UNE. Scobee stopped 11 of the final 12 shots while logging 33:11.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Nov. 29, when they return home to host Buffalo State in the first game of a two-game, non-conference, weekend series. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in Winchendon, Mass.

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).