2006 NORTHEAST-10 TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL #10 Franklin Pierce Edges Saint Anselm, 2-1 (OT)
Demoner nets winner in the 98th minute, Ravens host Bryant for NE-10 Championship Sunday
RINDGE, N.H. (October 27, 2006) - Second-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked tenth in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, advanced to its seventh-straight Northeast-10 Championship match with a 2-1 overtime victory over sixth-seeded Saint Anselm College in an NE-10 Tournament semifinal at Sodexho Field this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (17-2-0, 12-2-0 NE-10) will look for its seventh-straight NE-10 Tournament title on Sunday when it hosts fourth-seeded Bryant University (15-6-1, 9-4-1 NE-10) at Noon. Bryant upset top-seeded and No. 5-ranked College of Saint Rose, 3-1, in today's other semifinal match. Saint Anselm falls to 10-6-3 overall (6-5-3 NE-10).
Juniors Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) and Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) both figured in on both goals for Franklin Pierce, each registering a goal and assist.
Demoner capped an intense Franklin Pierce overtime attack with her team-best 11th goal of the season 7:42 into the extra period off a through ball from the right side by Giardina. The Ravens took charge in the extra session, out-shooting Saint Anselm 8-0. Demoner nearly ended the match in highlight fashion with a well executed bicycle kick in the center of the 18 in the 95th minute, but Saint Anselm sophomore goalkeeper Michaela Smith (Andover, Mass./Andover) made a tremendous diving save to her left.
Demoner set up Giardina for the Ravens first goal 6:28 before halftime. Demoner sent a cross from the left flank that connected with Giardina for a header that Smith initially got a hand to, but the ball still found the right side of the net for Giardina's seventh goal of the year.
Saint Anselm equalized in the 75th minute when freshman Heidi Reece (Hoosick Falls, N.Y./Hoosick Falls) tipped in a long free kick from the right flank by sophomore Kathleen Kennerley (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) at the far post for her tenth marker of the season.
The Hawks had their chances to equalize earlier in the second half, but senior Mairead Lundt (Atkinson, N.H./Timberlane) hit the post in the 49th minute and classmate Jocelyn Savastano (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth North) had a drive carom off the crossbar in the 63rd.
Smith kept Saint Anselm in the match with eight saves, including four in the overtime period, as Franklin Pierce out-shot the Hawks, 24-5.