RINDGE, N.H. (October 14, 2000) - The Franklin Pierce women's soccer team avoided its first-ever conference loss Saturday, scoring three times in the final 20 minutes to get past upset-minded New Hampshire College, 3-1, in a Northeast-10 match at Crystal Field.

The Penmen (3-9, 2-9 NE-10) struck first when freshman Anna Turbe (Nashua, N.H.) beat Franklin Pierce goalkeeper Kara Shemeth (Edgartown, Mass.) to a back pass and booted the ball into the unguarded net in the 17th minute to stun a Homecoming Day of crowd of 500.

The Ravens (10-1-1, 8-0-1 NE-10) have not a lost a conference match during seven years competing in the New England Collegiate Conference and, this year, in the NE-10. They held the advantage Saturday as far as shots (30-3) and corner kicks (17-0), but their streak was in doubt until Christine Kirby (Florida, N.Y.), Julia Uusmalmi (Tampere, Finland) and Anumari Ylesmaki (Vantaa, Finland) scored in a 13-minute span.

Kirby tied the game in the 71st minute when she converted a corner kick by Uusmalmi. It was the second goal in as many games for the junior midfielder.

Uusmalmi scored what proved to be the game-winner in the 79th minute when she beat everyone to a loose ball at the top of the 18-yard box. Ylesmaki added an insurance marker in the 84th minute when she converted a crossing pass from Minna Mustonen (Helsinki, Finland).

The Ravens are back in action Wednesday when they host Merrimack in a NE-10 match. The Penmen resume play Monday at home in a non-conference match against Notre Dame College.