2004 NE-10 TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP Top-Seeded Franklin Pierce Wins Record Fifth NE-10 Title
Ravens defeat third-seeded Assumption, 4-1, to match Conference record Scavo named MVP after strong defensive play and three points from the back
RINDGE, N.H. (November 7, 2004) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, matched a Conference record with its fifth Northeast-10 Tournament title after posting a 4-1 victory over third-seeded and No. 21-ranked Assumption College in today's NE-10 women's Championship match.
Franklin Pierce, which has won all five NE-10 Tournament titles since joining the Conference prior to the 2000 season, matches the Conference record of five titles set by Merrimack College when it claimed its fifth championship in 1999. No Conference team has won five-straight tournaments prior to today.
Senior All-American Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) totaled two goals and an assist, while junior All-American Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) netted a pair of goals as Franklin Pierce matched the Conference record for goals in a championship match set by Springfield College in 1985 and matched on three other occasions, including last season by the Ravens in their 4-3 victory over Merrimack. Junior Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) dished a pair of assists on the day.
Franklin Pierce sophomore back Alex Scavo (Toronto, Ontario/Brother Andre) was named the NE-10 Tournament MVP as she headed a Ravens defensive unit which yielded just one goal in the three matches and stepped into the offensive play with a goal and assist for three points.
The Ravens jumped on the board early as Hughes found Welcome with a cross from the left flank for a one-timed shot from in close to the goal on the first shot of the match by either side 6:55 into the match. Franklin Pierce doubled its advantage in the 35th minute as the two connected again, this time Welcome timed her run perfectly to walk on to a through ball over the top of the Assumption defense by Hughes and fired a shot into the lower right corner of the net.
Welcome's second marker of the day proved to be the match-winner, matching the program's career record of 26 set by former three-time All-American Pauliina Miettinen from 1995-98.
With Assumption pushing players forward in an attempt to get on the board, Hislop netted a pair of counter attack goals to give the Ravens a 4-0 advantage. The first came in the 75th minute after Greyhound freshman goalkeeper Lauren Matysiak (Holden, Mass./Wachusett) made a tremendous save on Hislop's initial shot, but the rebound went right to Hislop's feet and she put the ball away off Matysiak's back. Welcome set up the second goal in the 82nd minute with a lob pass over the defense for a Hislop break, which she deposited into the lower right corner.
The Greyhounds got on the board in the 88th minute when senior Mary Wood (Stow, Mass./Nashoba) gathered a loose ball after a defensive turnover and fired the ball into a wide open net as Franklin Pierce freshman goalkeeper Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) was caught out of position on the play.
Matysiak made three saves for the Greyhounds, while Mello did not register a stop in the match for Franklin Pierce.
Franklin Pierce (18-1, 13-1 NE-10) and Assumption (14-5, 10-4 NE-10) are both locks to receive NCAA Division II Tournament berths to be announced late Monday afternoon.