Women’s Lacrosse slams the door on Tiffin, victorious at home for 16-15 win

RINDGE, N.H. (March 13, 2015)  - Junior Julia Smiley (Saunderstown, R.I.) scored the game-winning goal with 1:09 remaining in the game, as the Franklin Pierce University Ravens Women's Lacrosse team defeated the Tiffin University Dragons by a final score of 16-15 at Sodexo Field in Rindge. Junior Lauren Beville (Jamesville, N.Y.) and freshman Caitlin Sweeney (Shirley, N.Y.) led the way for the Ravens with four goals apiece.

With the win, the Ravens improve to 2-1 (0-1 Northeast-10), while Tiffin falls to 0-4 on the season.

Early on it seemed the Dragons would be in control, grabbing the lead less than a minute in, and jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first seven minutes of the game. Franklin Pierce would stop the run and score back to back goals by Sweeney and freshman Anna Wilbert (Boehmia, N.Y.) to make the score 3-2. But Tiffin would not be stopped, scoring another four unanswered to extend their lead out to 7-2, the largest lead by any team on the day.

After a free position goal by junior Nicole Dale (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.), Tiffin would once again answer back with a goal by Emily Roussel with 4:03 to play to make the score 8-3.

Then lighting would strike on the Ravens offensive end in the final four minutes of the first half, as the Ravens would ramble off five goals to close the half, including two in the final minute, one each from Sweeney and senior Gina Franciosi (South Easton, Mass.) to tie the game at 8-8 going into halftime.

The second half would start similar to the first, as Tiffin would grab the early lead less than a minute in to grab the slight 9-8 advantage on a goal by Alexis MacMillan. MacMillan would then assist Gina Abulone to give Tiffin the 10-8 lead. Sweeney would answer the call again a minute later at the 24:37 mark to pull back within one before Tiffin scored again yet another minute later on a goal by Roussel to make the game 11-9.

The Ravens would not back down, as Beville, Dale, and senior Madeline Shopshire (Hyannis, Mass.) would each put home a goal for three unanswered points to give Franklin Pierce the 12-11 lead with just under 15 minutes to play.

Franklin Pierce and Tiffin would trade goals from that point all the way down the stretch, with the Ravens never surrendering the lead, and the game tying up four times. The last one would come with 2:52 to play on a Tiffin goal scored by Roussel yet again, until Smiley put home the game winner with 1:09 to play to give the Ravens the victory.

Roussel led the way for the Dragons with six goals, leading all goal scorers on the day. Amanda Flotterton scored three goals of her own, MacMillan and Abulone notched two goals apiece.

Behind Beville and Sweeney's quadruples would be pairs by Smiley, Dale, and Shopshire. Shopshire and Sweeney would also add two assists apiece. Sophomore goalkeeper Denise Hunt (Hull, Mass.) would improve her record to 2-0 as she was able to stop 12 on 27 shots.

The Ravens hope to continue their luck when they return to the field this Tuesday, March 17 when they travel to Merrimack for a St. Patrick's Day matchup. Time of the game is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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