Seniors pot five of six goals in their collegiate finale

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 28, 2016) – Senior forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) and senior defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburgh, Pa.) popped two goals each in their final collegiate game on Sunday afternoon, as the third-seeded Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team defeated fifth-seeded Saint Michael's, 6-0, in the consolation game of the NEHC Open Tournament, hosted by Saint Anselm at Sullivan Arena. In all, Ravens seniors collected nine points on the day, including five of the six goals.

With the win, Franklin Pierce concludes its season at 17-8-1, while Saint Michael's wraps up its campaign at 6-19-2. At the conclusion of Sunday's title game, Baker was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the first period. First, at the 8:36 mark, three seniors got in on the action. Baker had the finish on her team-leading 16th of the season out front, while senior forward Colleen Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) and senior defenseman Hayley Arnold (Barre, Vt.) picked up the assists.

Sheils would provide the other goal, on an individual effort at the 16:28 mark. She forced a turnover at the top of the left-wing circle and took control of the puck herself. Sheils skated through the left circle and, from the faceoff dot, snapped a wrist shot which sniped the top corner on the far side for her ninth goal of the campaign, unassisted.

The Ravens would put home four more goals in the third period to make the game a blowout and create the 6-0 final. At the 3:35 mark, Sheils put home her second of the afternoon, as she again forced a turnover in the left-wing circle. This time, she was able to close to the bottom of the circle before taking her shot, which she put between the pads of Saint Michael's junior goaltender Abby Burke.

The remaining three goals would all come on the power play, beginning with Baker's second of the day at the 5:39 mark. Sophomore forward Hailee Craig (Canton, Mich.) threw the puck on the net from the right-wing side. Burke made the initial save on the play, but Baker had an easy put-away on the rebound at the left post for the 59th and final goal of her career. With an assist still to come later in the period, Baker would finish her four years in a Ravens uniform with 59-62-121.

Baker would return the favor just over three minutes later, at the 8:48 mark, when she slipped a pass from the left side across the top of the crease for Craig. The latter had an easy one-time finish for her first goal of the season.

Finally, at the 10:24 mark, the Ravens put home their third straight power-play marker to cap the day's scoring. Senior forward Francesca Paciello (Clinton, N.Y.) had the finish from the high slot on her sixth of the season, while senior defenseman Samantha Bureau (Ottawa, Ontario) and junior forward Lanie Matsumoto (Fort Collins, Colo.) picked up the assists.

Junior netminder Shannon O'Neil (Tewksbury, Mass.) stopped all 17 shots she faced on Sunday to pick up the win (9-4-1) and the shutout, which was her fourth of the season and the seventh of her career. At the other end of the ice, Burke (5-16-2) made 25 saves against 30 shots over the first 50 minutes in front of the Saint Michal's net. Junior goaltender Erica Ragazzo took over for the final 10 minutes and made six saves against seven shots.

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' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).