Talita Pereira scores twice in the win

BOXSCORE

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (September 9, 2011) -- The No. 16-nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team got a pair of goals from sophomore forward Talita Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and picked up a 2-1 win at New Haven on Friday in the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference opener. The Ravens won their third straight to improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the NE-10, while UNH dipped to 1-1 and 0-1 in league play.

It marked the second time in the first three matches this season that Pereira scored twice in a game, as she also turned the trick in the last weekend's season-opening 3-1 triumph over Mercy. She leads the team with four markers this season.

Both of Pereira's goals on the afternoon were unassisted. She notched the first one in the 32nd minute off of a free kick attempt from the 18.

The Ravens took a 1-0 lead into halftime despite being outshot by UNH, 6-5, in the opening 45 minutes. The Chargers continued to claw back in the early stages of the second half and eventually knotted the score at 1-1 in the 64th minute following a goal from Lucy Francisco.

Franklin Pierce didn't fold and Pereira came to the rescue in the 86th minute as she scored on a blast from the 30 to put the Ravens on top by a goal. Senior goalkeeper Jocelyn Leon (Lenox, Mass.) made Pereira's two goals stand up as she made four saves to earn the win in net and improve to 3-0 on the year.

Pereira fired off five shots, including putting four on goal, but senior forward Amanda Panaro (Rockland, Mass.) led the team in shots with six. Those two players accounted for 11 of the Ravens 13 shots in the match.

Franklin Pierce returns to action on Sunday when the Ravens play host to Le Moyne at 1 p.m. in Sodexo Field.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women's soccer, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).