Field Hockey Turns Back Southern Connecticut State, 5-1, In Home Opener
Baillargeon, Moirano net goal and assist each
Jordan Baillargeon scored a goal and added an assist in the win over Southern Connecticut State on Wednesday night. |
RINDGE, N.H. (September 2,
2009) – Junior forward Ashley Moirano (Vero
Beach, Fla.) scored the eventual game-winning goal in the
first half and added a second-half assist on Wednesday night to
lead the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team to a 5-1
victory over Southern Connecticut State in non-conference action at
Sodexo Field. Junior midfielder Jordan Baillargeon
(Westfield, Mass.) also notched a goal and an assist in
the victory for Franklin Pierce.
Franklin Pierce scored early and often, as it put up a quartet of
first-half goals to all but put the game away. Baillargeon opened
the scoring with her first goal of the season 9:20 in the period
when she got her stick to a loose ball in front of the cage and
pushed it home. The Ravens pushed the lead to 2-0 just over 17
minutes into the frame, when Moirano corralled the rebound of a
shot by senior forward Katie Debler (Walpole,
Mass.) on the left side and found the back of the cage for
her first of the season.
Just over nine minutes later, sophomore forward Danielle
Dolan (West Brookfield, Mass.) finished off her first goal
of the season from right in front of the net off a well-placed feed
from the left side by Baillargeon. Franklin Pierce pushed the lead
to 4-0 just 2:43 later when sophomore forward Kimberly Orr
(Lexington, Mass.) found the ball on her stick in the high
slot, turned, fired and beat SCSU junior goalkeeper Lauren Zarrella
for her first career goal.
Franklin Pierce was dominant throughout the first half and took a
13-4 shots advantage into the intermission.
The Ravens pushed the lead to 5-0 just over 12 minutes into the
second half when the rebound of a Moirano shot fell to the stick of
freshman forward Leah Rice (Worcester, Mass.) on
the left post. Rice stuffed it into the back of the cage for her
first career goal.
SCSU’s only goal of the contest would come after time had
expired on a penalty corner. Junior midfielder Ann Berry took the
corner and eventually found the ball amidst the ensuing scramble in
front of the cage. She deposited into the net to spoil the shutout
bid of Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Baxter
(Cumberland, R.I.).
Southern Connecticut State posted a 10-6 shots advantage in the
second half, but Franklin Pierce controlled play throughout the
evening and enjoyed a 19-14 edge for the game. SCSU attempted five
penalty corners to one for Franklin Pierce.
Baxter made six games against seven shots in her first career start
to earn the win (1-0) in front of the cage for Franklin Pierce.
Zarrella made seven saves against 12 shots and took the loss (0-3)
between the pipes for Southern Connecticut State.
The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Sept. 5, when they
travel to Stonehill for a non-conference contest. Game time is
scheduled for 1 p.m. at W.B. Mason Stadium in Easton, Mass.
Franklin Pierce’s next home game is Sept. 12 against Adelphi
at 1 p.m.