Demoner nets lone goal for Ravens

Box Score

LOWELL, Mass. (September 1, 2009) – Junior forward Brianne Bozzella scored a pair of second-half goals, including the game-winner on Tuesday afternoon to lead Massachusetts Lowell to a 3-1 victory over the No. 9 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women’s soccer team in Northeast-10 Conference play at Cushing Field. Senior midfielder Gabriela Demoner (Vitoria, Brazil) scored the lone goal of the game for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-1-0 (0-1-0 Northeast-10), while Massachusetts Lowell opens its season 1-0-0 (1-0-0 Northeast-10).

Franklin Pierce broke the ice with a goal in the 28th minute. Off a quick restart, sophomore midfielder Tori Gikas (Sydney, Australia) found Demoner behind the River Hawk defense. Demoner had only Massachusetts Lowell senior goalkeeper Jamie Gillis to beat and chipped it over her as she came off her line to challenge the shot. The goal was Demoner’s sixth of the season in Franklin Pierce’s first three games.

Franklin Pierce controlled stretches of play in the first half and went to the intermission with a 7-5 advantage in shots, including a pair of quality chances inside the penalty area for Demoner and junior forward Angelika Johansson (Falkenberg, Sweden) immediately preceding the lone goal of the half, both of which were turned aside by Gillis and the defense.

Massachusetts Lowell nearly found the equalizer with a pair of chances early in the second half. In the 47th minute, sophomore midfielder Maddy Bissaillon took a shot on a free kick from 30-plus yards out that was ticketed for the upper-left corner. Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Jocelyn Leon (Lenox, Mass.) was able to get her hand to it and deflect it off the crossbar and out of play. Shortly thereafter, in the 50th minute, a cross from the left side found the feet of freshman midfielder Jenna Costa just a couple yards off the right post. Again, Leon was equal to the task and deflected the ball out of play.

However, the River Hawks would maintain the pressure and tie the game at 1-1 in the 53rd minute. Junior midfielder Ella Merullo struck a low cross along the ground from the left side, which found freshman back Taylor Hartmann in stride with only the keeper to beat. Hartmann one-touched the ball inside the left post to score Massachusetts Lowell’s first goal of the season and even the score.

The River Hawks would then take the lead in the 66th minute. Hartmann lifted a ball behind the defense from midfield and Bozzella ran it down and found herself alone at the top of the penalty area with only the keeper to beat. Leon came off her line to challenge the shot, but Bozzella pushed it past her and inside the left post to give Massachusetts Lowell a 2-1 advantage.

Massachusetts Lowell put the game on ice with a 71st-minute goal to create the 3-1 final. Again it was Bozzella who put the ball away for her second of the game, this time off a perfectly placed cross from the left wing by Merullo, who tallied her second assist of the afternoon.

Massachusetts Lowell controlled play for much of the second half and enjoyed a 9-8 edge in shots in the stanza, while Franklin Pierce outshot the River Hawks 15-14 for the game. The River Hawks attempted five corner kicks to two for the Ravens.

Gillis made eight saves against nine shots to earn the victory (1-0-0) in net for Massachusetts Lowell. Leon made eight saves against 11 shots and took the loss (2-1-0) between the pipes for Franklin Pierce.

The Ravens return to the pitch on Friday, Sept. 4, for their home opener against Florida Southern. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Sodexo Field. The game is part of Pierce Pride Kickoff 2009, featuring games, giveaways, promotions and postgame fireworks following the evening’s 7 p.m. men’s soccer contest, courtesy of Atlas Pyrotechnics.