2005 NE-10 TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP Top-seeded Franklin Pierce Slips Past Third-seeded Assumption, 1-0
Hughes' last-minute strike lifts Ravens to record sixth-straight tournament title
RINDGE, N.H. (November 6, 2005) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 5 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, collected its record sixth-straight Northeast-10 Conference Tournament Championship with a 1-0 victory over second-seeded and No. 18-ranked Assumption College in the 2005 NE-10 title match, presented by Select Sports, tonight.
Senior All-American Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) collected a loose ball off a turnover at midfield and fired a shot from 30-yards out in the center of the pitch that settled into the upper right-hand corner of the net with just 38-seconds remaining in regulation to lift Franklin Pierce to its record sixth NE-10 Tournament title. The win extended the Ravens record title streak as they have claimed all six crowns since joining the Conference in 2000.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) made just one save to preserve the victory and her seventh shutout of the season (14th career), but it was a key stop to keep the match scoreless just after the hour mark. Assumption sophomore Kim Sullivan (Natick, Mass./Natick) broke in one-on-one on the right side, but Mello got her hands up to stop her initial shot at the near post. The rebound went back to Sullivan, but her rebound shot went off the side netting at 62:13.
Assumption sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Matysiak (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) made five saves as the Greyhounds were out-shot 16-6 for the match. Matysiak also got solid play from her back line, including junior Michaela Morrisroe (Marlboro, Mass./Marlboro), who cleared a header by Franklin Pierce freshman Rebecca Westbury (Northbridge, Mass./Northbridge) off the line 7:49 into the second half.
Hughes, who has scored the Ravens last three goals and was named Tournament MVP, nearly broke the ice 2:24 into the second as her one-timed shot from the top of the 18 had Matysiak beaten, but caromed off the upper right corner of the woodwork.
Assumption had a break in the 78th minute as sophomore Ashley McMahon (Bethel, Conn./Immaculate) found herself one-on-one with Mello, but fired her shot off the side netting from close range.
The victory avenged the Ravens lone loss of the season, a 3-2 setback to the Greyhounds on September 14, in which senior Andrea Marcoccio (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) scored her second goal of the match with 36-seconds left in regulation after Franklin Pierce erased a 2-0 halftime deficit.
Franklin Pierce (16-1-2, 12-1-1 NE-10) and Assumption (14-3-4, 9-2-3 NE-10) are pretty much locks to receive NCAA Tournament bids when they are announced tomorrow afternoon.