RINDGE, N.H. (September 2, 2022) -- The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team held its own in the first quarter of its season opener against No. 10 nationally-ranked Converse on Friday afternoon, but the floodgates opened from there. Sophomore Lotte Kanters poured in three goals in a span of just 7:37 to key a four-goal second quarter as Converse went on to a 7-0 win in non-conference play at Sodexo Field.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens its season at 0-1, while Converse starts at 1-0. Converse ran up advantages of 25-1 in shot attempts and 18-1 in shots on goal in the game.

After a scoreless first quarter, Kanters took control for the Valkyries in the second stanza. In the 18^th minute, freshman Aubree Dorsey played the ball from the midfield to the top of the circle, where it was deflected by a Franklin Pierce defender. The deflection fell right to Kanters near the penalty spot, and she salted away her first of the year from there.

Her second of the campaign came just 3:17 later, in the 21^st minute, after she got on the other end of a long ball played ahead from the midfield by freshman Josephine Jense. Kanters carried just inside the circle on the right side and buried her shot from here to double the lead.

Kanters needed just another 4:20 from there to cap off her first collegiate hat trick in the aftermath of a corner in the 25^th minute. Sophomore Catalina Pistaccio wound up with the ball on the right and put it back to the top of the circle for Kanters. A long shot through traffic found its way home from there to make it 3-0.

The score line went to 4-0 only 41 seconds later, when Pistaccio found space on the run up the middle of the field. She carried into the circle and then made her way to the right before unleashing a shot for her first goal of the year.

Pistaccio would set up sophomore Emily Whitlow in the third quarter to close out the day with a career-best four points (1-2-4). Freshman Kilee Bradeen and sophomore Caroline Blair both added their first collegiate goals in the fourth quarter, as Converse won going away.

Franklin Pierce split goalkeeping duties on the day. Senior MacKenzie Potvin (Goffstown, N.H.) made eight saves against 12 shots in the first half and suffered the loss (0-1). Sophomore Addy Araneo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) took over for the second half and stopped three of six shots.

Meanwhile, Converse utilized three different netminders. Sophomore Anita Planella (1-0) played the first half and picked up the win without facing a shot on her goal. Freshman Madison Shorey stopped the only shot on her goal in the third quarter, while senior Caroline Bailey went untested in the fourth quarter.

The Ravens have a week to regroup and then hit the road for a two-game trip to western Pennsylvania. Franklin Pierce will visit Slippery Rock at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, and Mercyhurst at noon on Sunday, Sept. 11.