Jaksina, Conroy find net for Ravens

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. (August 31, 2009) – Senior forward Sarah Ranieri scored with 5:10 remaining in regulation on Monday night to break a 2-2 tie and give Assumption a 3-2 victory over the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team in non-conference action at Assumption’s Multi-Sport Stadium. Freshman forward Susan Conroy (Walpole, Mass.) scored her first career goal in defeat for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens the season 0-1 (0-0 Northeast-10), while Assumption starts off 1-0 (0-0 Northeast-10). The two teams will meet again in their Northeast-10 Conference contest on Sept. 30 at Franklin Pierce.

The first 27 minutes of the game went scoreless, though Franklin Pierce had the better of the early opportunities. Just under 13 minutes into the contest, sophomore midfielder Kimberly Jaksina (Townsend, Mass.) found the ball on her stick with some space off of a penalty corner. She unleashed a shot from just inside the top of the circle, but it was kicked aside by Assumption junior goalkeeper Danielle Luongo.

The Ravens would again threaten with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half. Sophomore forward Danielle Dolan (West Brookfield, Mass.) sent a centering feed in from the right wing. Junior midfielder Jordan Baillargeon (Westfield, Mass.) got her stick to the pass, but the redirection missed wide of the far post. However, the pressure would eventually lead to a penalty corner which Franklin Pierce would convert to open the scoring. Off the corner, the ball ended up on Jaksina’s stick again and she uncorked a shot from the left side which found to back of the cage for the first half’s only goal, with the assist going to Dolan.

Franklin Pierce controlled play for much of the first half and enjoyed a 5-2 shots advantage heading into the intermission.

Assumption tied things up just 64 seconds into the second half when senior forward April Brunelle found the ball amidst a scramble in front of the Franklin Pierce cage and put it home. Ranieri was credited with an assist on the goal.

Franklin Pierce regained the lead at 2-1 just under 10 minutes into the second half. Senior forward Katie Debler (Walpole, Mass.) slipped the ball into the circle to junior forward Ashley Moirano (Vero Beach, Fla.), who found herself in a two-on-one with the goalie down low. She snuck a pass to Conroy who was able to stuff it home for her first career goal in her collegiate debut.

The Ravens nearly gave themselves a two-goal lead less than five minutes later. Baillargeon found herself with time and space on the left side, stepped into the circle and teed up a shot, but Luongo was able to kick it aside to keep Assumption within one.

Assumption tied the game at 2-2 with 12:02 to play when they were awarded a penalty stroke, which was taken by senior back Amy Looney. She went low to the left side and Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Nyzio (Attleboro, Mass.) got a piece of it with her right pad, but not enough to keep it out of the cage.

Ranieri would then net the game winner with 5:10 to play in the stanza. Junior forward Alexi Maxfield took a shot from the left side which Ranieri got her stick to and deflected past Nyzio to give Assumption a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish.

The Ravens outshot Assumption 7-5 in the second half and held a 12-7 edge in the department for the game. Franklin Pierce attempted 12 penalty corners to seven for Assumption.

Luongo made four saves against six shots to get the win (1-0) in net for Assumption. Nyzio made one save against four shots and took the loss (0-1) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, Sept. 2, when they host Southern Connecticut State in their first home game of the season. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge, N.H.