Ravens outshoot Owls 20-5 in defeat

Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (October 15, 2009) – The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team dominated large stretches of play and chalked up a 20-5 advantage in shots on Thursday night, but was ultimately defeated, 1-0, by Southern Connecticut State in Northeast-10 Conference play at Jess Dow Field. Freshman midfielder Lyndel Vagnini scored the lone goal of the game with 10:12 to play in regulation.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 7-8 (3-4 Northeast-10), while Southern Connecticut State improves to 6-11 (5-4 Northeast-10) with the victory.

With snow flurries in the air and sub-freezing temperatures throughout the match, the weather conditions helped conspire against the offensive threats of both teams throughout much of the night.

Despite the chill, Franklin Pierce was able to dominate play throughout much of the night. The Ravens held a 20-5 shots advantage, including a 13-2 edge in the second half. Franklin Pierce earned 11 penalty corners to just one for SCSU. Furthermore, the Ravens got eight of their 20 shots on target, while the Owls could muster just one shot on goal.

However, that one on-target shot came late in regulation from Vagnini and found its way behind Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Nyzio (Attleboro, Mass.) to give SCSU the victory. Vagnini scored her third goal of the season from close range off a feed from junior back Dieny Charlot.

Nyzio took the loss (6-7) in net for Franklin Pierce. Junior goalkeeper Lauren Zarrella stopped all eight shots on her cage to pick up the win (6-11) and her second shutout of the season between the pipes for SCSU.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 17, when they return home to host Massachusetts Lowell in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge, N.H. Franklin Pierce will honor its five-player senior class prior to the start of the game.