Ravens score three in three-minutes after 70-minute mark to break deadlock

RINDGE, N.H. (November 11, 2005) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, broke open a 1-1 tie with three goals in a three-minute span late in posting a 4-1 victory over fourth-seeded and No. 25-ranked Merrimack College in semifinal round action of the 2005 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer New England Regional at Sodexho Field tonight.

Franklin Pierce (17-1-2) advances to Sunday's regional final to host second-seeded and No. 15-ranked Assumption College (15-3-4) at 1 p.m. The meeting will be the sixth in the last two seasons and will mark a rematch of the 2004 NCAA Regional final, which the Ravens won 5-2, and last Sunday's NE-10 Championship, a 1-0 Franklin Pierce victory. Franklin Pierce is 4-1-0 against the Greyhounds over the last two seasons. Assumption advanced with a 1-0 victory over third-seeded UMass Lowell (12-7-1) in tonight's opening match. Merrimack sees its season, capped by a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament berth, come to a close at 14-6-1.            

Senior All-Americans Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) and Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) led Franklin Pierce tonight. Hughes netted two goals, while Hislop finished with a goal and two assists.

With the match knotted at a goal apiece after the two sides traded goals early in the match, Franklin Pierce erupted for three goals in a span of 3:16 after the 70-minute mark. Junior Alex Scavo (Toronto, Ontario) started the barrage when she knocked in a rolling ball at the far post off an attempted chip on the left side by Hislop that was heading wide of the goal. Freshman back Kristen Cilley (Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown) was also credited with an assist as her long pass from the back over the top of the Merrimack defense sent Hislop in on a break.

"In a 1-1 game I wanted to make sure it was going in," said Scavo of her touch on Hislop's chip that appeared like it may have been going in on its own. "I thought it was going to hit the post, but everyone else on the field said it was heading wide."   

Hughes scored her second just 1:13 later when she took a pass from junior Kristen Lake (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) and finished a drive from the right channel from 23-yards to the lower left corner at 72:10. Hislop finished off the trifecta with a shot from the top center of the 18 into the upper right corner at 74:13.

"We played well and kept it close, but then in three or four minutes and then boom, boom, boom," said Merrimack Head Coach Gabe Mejail. "We played our best to keep it close, but with their talent took over and we couldn't stop them."

Hughes opened the scoring 7:53 into the match when she took a square ball from Hislop on the left side and drove a shot from 20-yards into the top shelf.

Merrimack answered off a set piece at 12:28 when senior Mckenzie Hogan (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) headed in a free kick from junior Heather Carr (Wakefield, R.I./South Kingstown) at the far post. The Warriors scored on their lone shot in a first half that Franklin Pierce finished with a 10-1 advantage. Sophomore Shannon Rowan (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) made five saves to keep Merrimack in the match, before giving way to junior Caitlin Stephan (Northboro, Mass./Algonquin) for the second half. Stephen made one stop, while yielding the three second-half goals.

Sophomore Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) made one save as Franklin Pierce finished with an 18-3 advantage in shots for the night.

"I thought the second goal broke their back a little bit," said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey. "I was happy to get the third goal, but I thought we should have had two or three more in the first half. When you don't put those away, sometimes before you know it you're in (penalty kicks)."

MATCH STATISTICS