RINDGE, N.H. (October 19, 2022) -- The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team did not have an answer for Assumption's Christina Leonard at Sodexo Field on Wednesday afternoon. The senior needed just 12:46 to complete her hat trick in the Northeast-10 Conference contest, and went on to score five times to lead visiting and No. 7 nationally ranked Assumption to a 6-1 victory over the Ravens. Sophomore Caity Hazley (Kingston, Mass.) scored the lone goal in defeat for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 4-8 (3-4 NE10) and sees its winning streak snapped at four games. With the win, Assumption improves to 9-3 (6-1 NE10).

It was Leonard early and often on a brisk Wednesday afternoon in the Granite State. The opener came in the fourth minute, when she finished off her own rebound at the left post, for her third goal of the season. She doubled the lead to 2-0 just 2:14 later, in the sixth minute, after a turnover in the midfield allowed senior Lily Daly to feed the ball ahead to Leonard in the circle for the finish. Leonard capped her hat trick before the first quarter was out, in the 13^th minute, as she sent a cross in from the left-wing side, which wound up deflecting off the pad of sophomore goalkeeper Addy Araneo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and into the cage. In all, it was three goals in a span of 9:26 for Leonard, who recorded her first collegiate hat trick.

Franklin Pierce got one back just 67 seconds into the fourth quarter, in the 17^th minute. Junior Silver Clukey (Winslow, Maine) carried into the circle on the left side, and though her pass was deflected, the ball still found its way into the middle of the circle. Hazley was waiting for it and knocked home her team-leading fifth goal of the campaign.

Leonard restored Assumption's three-goal lead prior to halftime, with her fourth of the game in the 19^th minute. Sophomore Mia Salah provided the feed from the right side, and Leonard had the finish at the left post.

The third quarter went scoreless, but the Greyhounds put two more home in the fourth quarter to create the 6-1 final. In the 48^th minute, Daly notched her second assist of the afternoon, as she sent the ball into the circle from the right side of the midfield. Leonard was waiting in front of the far post and established a new Assumption program single-game record with her fifth goal of the day. Sophomore Callie Beauparlant capped the scoring in the 59^th minute, as she intercepted a pass in the midfield, made a long run into the left side of the circle and scored her first of the year.

Assumption finished the game with advantages of 26-7 in shot attempts and 17-3 in shots on goal. Franklin Pierce earned 10 second-half penalty corners, but was unable to cash in.

Araneo (4-4) finished with 11 saves against 17 shots in front of the Franklin Pierce net. Graduate student Kylie Gargiulo (9-3) made two saves against three shots at the other end for Assumption.

The Ravens have an open weekend before traveling to Saint Anselm for an NE10 contest on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H.