Bryan goal gives Purple Knights second-straight Sodexo Field victory

Boxscore

RINDGE, N.H. (September 23, 2008) - Saint Michael's College scored a first half goal and held on in the second half to post a 1-0 victory over Franklin Pierce University, ranked 9^th in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, in Northeast-10 Conference women's soccer action at Sodexo Field tonight.

It marks the second victory in as many visits for Saint Michael's to Sodexo Field as the Purple Knights also posted a 1-0 victory here on September 6, 2006. Like that victory, Saint Michael's used a goal late in the first half and held on down the stretch. Franklin Pierce posted a 10-5 advantage in shots for the match, but the Purple Knights held a 4-2 edge in the first half.

Saint Michael's freshman Teal Bryan (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely) netted the lone goal of the match when she took a square ball from the left flank by classmate Laura Ostrout (Northfield, Vt./Northfield) and fired a shot from 20-yards out in the left channel. Franklin Pierce senior goalkeeper Brittany Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) got a hand to the shot low to her right, but the ball got behind her and caromed off the left post and into goal for Bryan's team-high fourth goal of the season.

Freshman goalkeeper Ashleigh Adams (Milton, Vt./Milton) preserved the win and her NE-10 leading fourth shutout of the season with six saves - five in the second half. Ester finished with two stops for Franklin Pierce.

Franklin Pierce had two good scoring chances in the opening minutes of the match. Junior All-American Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) found Adams well positioned on the near post after she broke in one on one with the keeper 2:41 into the match.

Pressing forward for an equalizer, the Ravens posted an 8-1 advantage in shots in the second half. Adams charged off her line to stop a good scoring bid from sophomore All-American Angelika Johansson (Falkenberg, Sweden) 3:47 into the second half. Johansson looked to finally even the match in the 53^rd minute, when her low shot from 12 yards out squirted out from under the save attempt by Adams, but the Saint Michael's defense surrounded the loose ball in time to allow Adams to recover and jump on it before it crossed the endline.

Adams positioned herself well for an easy catch save of a bending shot by Demoner from just inside the penalty area in the 65^th minute. The Ravens most sustained period of offensive pressure came around the 70-minute mark, beginning with a shot by Johansson that trickled just wide of the left post, followed by a series of three-straight corner kicks before the series was whistled dead after an unlucky Ravens handball at the far post on the third set piece. Adams closed out the clean sheet with an another easy catch save of a Demoner flick off a last gasp service from just inside the halfway line with 20-seconds to play.

Franklin Pierce (5-2-1, 3-1-1 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday, when it travels to Stonehill College at 1 p.m. The Ravens are back at Sodexo Field next Wednesday, October 1, to face Saint Anselm College at 7 p.m. Saint Michael's (4-4-1, 1-3-1 NE-10) visits Le Moyne College on Saturday at noon.