Hughes, Hislop Help Lead Ireland Past Croatia
Ravens help Republic of Ireland take top spot in Group 5 standings
RINDGE, N.H. (April 15, 2004) - Franklin Pierce women's soccer standouts Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) and Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) helped the Republic of Ireland post a key 8-1 victory over Croatia in UEFA Women's Championship qualifying action at Richmond Park in Dublin last weekend.
The victory puts Ireland atop the UEFA Women's Championship Group 5 standings. Unbeaten Ireland (3-0-2) is now one point ahead of second place Romania and Croatia. Romania (3-0-1) still has one game in hand on Ireland and the two meet in what could be a group decider in Bucharest May 1. As a second division side in Europe, Ireland cannot qualify for the Championships, but if it finishes atop the group, they would go into a playoff for promotion to the first division with the likes of Germany, Sweden and Norway.
Hughes, an All-Northeast Region performer for the Ravens last fall, started the match in midfield and netted a goal for Ireland against Croatia in the 40th minute to put her side up 3-0.
Hislop, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division II Player of the Year at Franklin Pierce last fall, entered the game as a reserve in the 73rd minute and added two markers a minute apart in the 79th and 80th minutes to give Ireland a 7-1 advantage.
Hislop earned first team All-America, All-New England and All-Northeast-10 accolades in her first season at Franklin Pierce in 2003 after transferring from Virginia Intermont College. She led Division II with 85 points and 23 assists, while her NE-10 leading 31 goals were good for second in the country. Hislop became the seventh player since the Northeast-10 began sponsoring women's soccer as a championship sport in 1984 to lead the Conference in points, goals and assists. Hislop also totaled a team-best five hat tricks, with three of those coming in postseason play, seven match-winning goals and seven first goals.
Hughes earned All-New England and All-Northeast-10 honors in her first season at Franklin Pierce in 2003 since transferring from Virginia Intermont. Hughes served as the team's "quarterback" in the central midfield, totaling 35 points with 19 assists and eight goals (two match-winners). She ranked third on the team in points and goals, but her 19 helpers were second only to Hislop on the team and among Northeast-10 Conference leaders (3rd in Division II). Hughes assist total is tied for the 16th-highest single-season total in Division II history.
Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 2 in the final NSCAA/adidas Division II poll, earned its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance last fall and advanced to a record 12th-consecutive Final Four, reaching the National Championship match for a record sixth time before falling to Kennesaw State (Ga.) University, 2-0. The Ravens finished with a 22-3 record overall, claimed their third-straight Northeast-10 regular season title with a 13-1 mark and fourth-straight Conference Tournament Championship before capturing an eighth-straight NCAA New England Region crown.