ERIE, Pa. (September 11, 2022) -- In a rather even game at Saxon Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team dropped a one-goal decision on the road at Mercyhurst in non-conference play, 2-1. A late turnover stood as the difference, as senior Kayla Gill picked the back line's pocket and cashed in the game-winning goal in the 52^nd minute for the Lakers.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 0-3, and has lost 11 in a row dating to last season. With the win, Mercyhurst improves to 1-2. It was the first win for the Lakers on their home field since a 2-1 win over Frostburg State on March 28, 2021, snapping a run of nine straight home losses.

The first quarter went scoreless, but not without a quality chance for the Ravens via a penalty stroke in the 12^th minute. Senior Meghan Winn (Newburyport, Mass.) helped create the opportunity, with a long drive ahead from the midfield stripe, which found fellow senior Gabi Sturgeon (North Granby, Conn.) well behind the defense and all alone at the top of the circle. Mercyhurst sophomore goalkeeper Kayla Desormeau came off her line to challenge, and Sturgeon made a move around her to the left, but the challenge allowed freshman Jen Kemp the time needed to backcheck and engage with the play.

Kemp wound up playing Sturgeon's shot with her foot in front of the empty goal, which resulted in the stroke attempt, but wound up saving a goal. Junior Anna Beck (Attleboro, Mass.) took the penalty for the Ravens and lifted a shot to the left, but Desormeau was equal to the task and kept the game goalless.

Mercyhurst opened the scoring off a corner in the 21^st minute. Sophomore Elizabeth Jackson inserted the ball from the left-wing side and headed for the near post. From the top of the circle, sophomore Fenna Klok took the feed and then dished off to the left for junior Jenna Cavalieri. Cavalieri went to tee up a shot from there, but mishit her drive. Unfortunately for the Ravens, she still got enough of it to send it trickling back towards Jackson outside the left post. The flubbed shot may have caught the defense by surprise, and Jackson was the beneficiary, as she swiped her first collegiate goal into the back of the cage.

Franklin Pierce nearly answered immediately, as its own corner unit set up a shot for sophomore Rebecca Phillips (West Amwell, N.J.) from the top of the circle in the 22^nd minute. Her drive found its way through traffic and on target, but Desormeau was able to kick it aside to preserve the lead, which the Lakers would hold through halftime.

It took until the fourth quarter, but the Ravens were able to equalize in the 49^th minute. After controlling the ball all the way back to its own back line, Franklin Pierce went to work down the right-wing side of the field. The scoring threat started with senior Christine Jarowicz (Kennebunk, Maine) deep in the right-wing corner, and she sent the ball to fellow senior Karly Holgerson (Hubbardston, Mass.), at the right edge of the circle. Holgerson had her first attempt to put the ball towards the net stymied by the defense, but got it there on the second attempt. Meanwhile, sophomore Caity Hazley (Kingston, Mass.) was getting tangled up with a Mercyhurst defender in front of the right post. As the pair went to the ground, Hazley managed to get her stick to the service and deflect it home for her first of the year.

The tie was short-lived, as a turnover wound up in the back of the Franklin Pierce cage in the 52^nd minute, just 3:25 later. From the left side of the defense, freshman Nina Depew (Acton, Mass.) attempted to play a pass into the middle for her back-line partner, Beck. However, the play was undone by the speed of Mercyhurst senior Kayla Gill, who arrived at Beck's location simultaneous to the ball. Gill forced the turnover, carried to the penalty spot and slotted a shot inside the left post for her first goal of the campaign, which would hold as the game-winner.

Each team attempted 11 shots in the game, while Mercyhurst had advantages of 9-8 in shots on goal and 10-2 in penalty corners.

Sophomore Addy Araneo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) tended the Franklin Pierce cage on Sunday, made seven saves against nine shots and suffered the loss (0-1). At the other end of the field, sophomore Kayla Desormeau (1-2) made six saves against seven shots, while senior Jillian Blas chipped in a defensive save along the way for the Lakers.

The Ravens return home on Wednesday, Sept. 14, for a non-conference game against American International at 3 p.m. on Sodexo Field.