2004 NE-10 TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL Top-Seeded Franklin Pierce Advances Past Saint Rose, 5-0
Ravens to face third-seeded Assumption for fifth-straight title on Sunday
RINDGE, N.H. (November 3, 2004) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, jumped out to a quick lead, then iced the match with three second-half goals to claim a 5-0 victory over fourth-seeded College of Saint Rose in semifinal round action of the Northeast-10 Conference women's soccer tournament this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (17-1, 13-1 NE-10) advances to its fifth-straight NE-10 Championship match where it will seek a record-matching fifth title on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Ravens will host third-seeded Assumption College (14-4-0, 10-4 NE-10), who posted a 1-0 victory over seventh-seeded Southern Connecticut State University this afternoon. The Greyhounds will be participating in third Conference Championship match, returning for the first time since 1999. Saint Rose (13-4-2, 9-3-2 NE-10) now awaits word on a possible third-straight NCAA Tournament berth to be announced on Monday.
Franklin Pierce got a pair of goals from junior All-American Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) and a goal and assist from senior All-American Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill). Freshman goalkeeper Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) was credited with her sixth shutout of the season with a pair of saves.
The Ravens jumped ahead just 61-seconds into the match as freshman midfielder Taryn Welker (Wayne, Pa./Conestoga) pounced on a Saint Rose turnover at the top of the penalty box, then carried the ball into the area before firing a shot past helpless junior goalkeeper Kat Marasia (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) for her first collegiate goal.
Welcome put Franklin Pierce up a pair in the 22nd minute when a cross from junior Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) sent her in on a break for a shot into the right corner of the net.
Franklin Pierce turned on the pressure even more in the second half with Hislop netting the next two markers. She headed in a cross by Welcome from the left side at the far post which caught the Saint Rose keeper out of position in the 53rd minute, then scored on a 40-yard free kick from the right channel into the upper right corner in the 67th.
Senior midfielder Martta Makila (Vantaa, Finland) rounded out the scoring in the 77th minute when she rifled in a shot off a failed Saint Rose clear just inside the right post.
Marasia finished the match with two saves in just over 58-minutes of work, before giving way to freshman Lauren Steinberg (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay), who made one stop over the final 31:32.
Franklin Pierce out-shot the Golden Knights, 12-10, for the match, but the advantage was 8-2 on goal. Saint Rose's best chance came just before halftime when senior Renae Ransdell (Richland, Wash./Richland) was in on a break with a defender on her hip in the 43rd minute, but her shot went straight at Mello in the Ravens goal for an easy catch save.