Franklin scores lone Raven goal

Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (September 4, 2009) – Freshman back Morgan Sammons scored twice, including the game-winner 1:16 into overtime on Friday afternoon to lead Florida Southern to a 2-1 victory over the No. 9 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women’s soccer team in non-conference action at Sodexo Field. Junior midfielder Shona Franklin (Birmingham, England) scored the lone goal of the game for Franklin Pierce.

With the win, Florida Southern improves to 1-2-0 (0-0-0 Sunshine State), while Franklin Pierce falls to 2-2-0 (0-1-0 Northeast-10) with the loss.

Franklin Pierce wasted no time opening the scoring, as they took a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. Franklin was denied once from point-blank range by Florida Southern sophomore goalkeeper Martina Tangen Billing. However, Franklin was then able to corral her own rebound and find the back of the net for her first goal of the season.

The Ravens nearly made it 2-0 in the 13th minute when freshman back Julie Foster (Dennis, Mass.) made a bid for her first career goal. Her free kick from 20 yards out on the left side beat Billing, but rang off the crossbar and out of play.

Franklin Pierce controlled much of the run of play in the first half, to the tune of a 7-3 shots advantage.

After a majority of the second half went without a goal, Florida Southern would notch the equalizer in the 85th minute to force overtime. Sammons made a run with the ball from the middle of the pitch to the right side of the top of the penalty area, forced her way around a defender and fired a shot which beat Franklin Pierce freshman goalkeeper Casey Edward (Marshfield, Mass.), who had come off her line to cut down the angle.

The Mocs would then win the game just 1:16 into the extra session. It was Sammons again, this time after being sprung on a ball chipped from midfield. Sammons ran it down, deked the lone defender and unleashed a shot which beat Edwards to the left to give Florida Southern a 2-1 victory.

Tangen made two saves against three shots to earn the win (1-0-0) in net for Florida Southern, while Edward stopped three of five shots to take the loss (1-1-0) between the pipes for Franklin Pierce.

Franklin Pierce finished with a 13-9 advantage in shots and attempted three corner kicks to one for Florida Southern.

The Ravens return to the pitch on Sunday, Sept. 6, when they host Le Moyne in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Kickoff is scheduled for noon at Sodexo Field.