Hughes double lifts Ravens to sixth-straight Conference Championship appearance

RINDGE, N.H. (November 2, 2005) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 5 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, got a goal in each half to defeat fourth-seeded and No. 24-ranked Merrimack College in semifinal round action of the 2005 Northeast-10 Conference women's soccer tournament, presented by Select Sports, at Sodexho Field this afternoon.

Franklin Pierce (15-1-2, 12-1-1 NE-10) advances to the NE-10 Championship match for the sixth-straight year and will face second-seeded Assumption College (14-2-4, 9-2-3 NE-10). Sunday's match time will be announced on the athletics website at www.franklinpierce.edu /athletics tomorrow. Assumption reached the title match for the second-straight year after posting a 3-1 decision in a penalty shootout with sixth-seeded College of Saint Rose this evening after the two sides played to a 0-0 draw. Merrimack (14-5-1, 9-4-1 NE-10) awaits Monday's NCAA Tournament selections for its postseason fate.

Senior All-American Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) scored both Franklin Pierce goals, one in each half. Sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) made two saves to preserve her sixth shutout of the season (13^th career).            

Hughes opened the scoring in the 18^th minute when she took a pass from freshman Ann Foley (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) from the left side and fired a shot just left of the circle at the top of the 18 at 17:24.

The Ireland international added an insurance tally 2:52 into the second half as senior All-American Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) spotted Hughes with a pass over the top from the right side for a drive from the left channel, 12-yards out. The assist was Hislop's first point in five matches, two of which were missed due to injury.

Sophomore Shannon Rowan (Fair Haven, Conn./Rumson-Fair Haven) and junior Caitlin Stephan (Northboro, Mass./Algonquin) split the goalkeeping duties for Merrimack. Rowan made five saves in the first half, while Stephan stopped two shots over the final 45-minutes.

Franklin Pierce out-shot Merrimack 15-5 for the match, 10-3 in the first half. The Warriors best scoring chance came in the 39^th minute with a chance to equalize just before the break. Senior Lindsay Sheffield (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) had a counter-attack break down the right side, but her drive from ten-yards out missed the goal high.

MATCH STATISTICS