Gabriela Vieira with a game-high five shot attempts

RINDGE, N.H. (Septebmer 8, 2013) – Senior back Eize Vieira (Espirito Santo, Brazil) sent home the match’s lone goal late in the first half to lift the Franklin Pierce University women’s soccer team to a 1-0 triumph over Wilmington (Del.) on Sunday at Sodexo Field in Rindge. The victory was the Ravens’ first of the season as they evened their record at 1-1, while WilmU dipped to 0-2.

Vieira chipped in a ball off a loose scramble in front of the net, which was initially saved by WilmU keeper Kendall Parliament. However, Parliament bobbled the initial save and the ball just barely got over the line before officials convened to discuss the play and ultimately award the tally to Vieira. It marked the first goal of her collegiate career.

Franklin Pierce kept the pace of play in Wilmington’s zone for most of the afternoon and piled up a 20-1 advantage in shots. Fernanda Marques (Sao Paulo, Brazil) narrowly missed a goal for the second-straight match as moments before Vieira’s strike, she rang a free-kick attempt off the crossbar.

Marques, along with sophomore Hannah Weagle (Ipswich, Mass.) each logged three shots, while senior Gabriela Vieira (Sao Paulo, Brazil) notched a match-high five shots, including a pair of close header attempts that just missed on the outside of the net.

Franklin Pierce’s pressure in the offensive zone tired out the Wildcats, as they were forced to chase the Ravens all over the field. Wilmington’s lone attempt came early in the second half, but it was wide of the net and not on goal.

Sophomore keeper Katie Weldon (Manchester, N.H.) did not need to make a save to earn the shutout victory, which was her third career triumph. Parliament made nine stops despite suffering the loss.

Franklin Pierce returns to action next Saturday when the Ravens travel to Worcester, Mass. to take on Assumption in the Northeast-10 Conference opener. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women’s soccer, please visit the team’s page at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women’s soccer apparel can do so on the athletic department’s online store at athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)