MANCHESTER, N.H. (September 22, 2018) – One early in the first half and another late in the first half were the difference on Saturday, in a 2-1 victory for the No. 24 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team. Senior midfielder Nathalia Maria da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil) struck in the sixth minute, and junior forward Sophie Cousineau (Milton, Mass.) followed up with another tally five seconds before halftime, as the Ravens doubled up Saint Anselm on the road at Melucci Field.

With the Northeast-10 Conference win, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-0-0 (5-0-0 NE10), while Saint Anselm falls to 2-5-0 (2-3-0 NE10). Franklin Pierce is off to its best start since 2004, when the Ravens won their first seven on the way to an appearance in the national quarterfinals.

In a game which featured a combined 29 shot attempts between the two teams, Franklin Pierce got things started in a hurry, in just the sixth minute. Cousineau picked up an assist on the play, as she had the original shot, which was saved by Saint Anselm sophomore goalkeeper Payton Wildrick. The rebound stayed in play and came right back to Cousineau, who then put her follow-up attempt off the right post. Again though, the rebound stayed in play, and da Silva put it away this time, for her team-leading sixth goal of the season.

Cousineau would pop home a goal of her own in the final minute of the first half, as she picked up her third score of the season with just five seconds remaining in the period, off a 45^th-minute corner kick. Junior midfielder Gabi Pereira (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) took the ball off the short corner play and sent a service towards the middle, which found the head of senior back Marta Turmo (Barcelona, Spain) at the top of the box. Turmo's header in turn made its way to the area near the right post, where Cousineau got her head to it and put the ball to the back of the net.

The majority of the second half went scoreless, before Saint Anselm got on the board in the 70^th minute to create the 2-1 final. Junior midfielder Caly Farina notched her third goal of the campaign, as she finished off an assist from fellow junior midfielder Kiley Larocque.

The Hawks were able to generate one more shot on goal after pulling within a goal, but Franklin Pierce junior goalkeeper Carmen Proffitt (Brooklyn, N.Y.) made the stop to keep the Ravens out front.

Proffitt (2-0-0) finished with three saves against four shots on goal to pick up the win for Franklin Pierce. Wildrick (2-5-0) made five saves against seven shots on goal at the other end of the field and suffered the loss for Saint Anselm.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, Sept. 26, when they return home to host Stonehill in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Sodexo Field.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuraves.com). 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 soccer apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).