Franco Hat Trick Lifts Women’s Soccer over New Haven, 4-1
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New Haven (4-7-0, 1-7-0) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
|
Franklin Pierce (6-2-2, 3-2-2) | 1 | 3 | 4 |
RINDGE, N.H. (October 9, 2021) -- The Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team returned home with a win on Saturday afternoon, as the Ravens picked up a 4-1 victory over the visiting New Haven Chargers. Freshman Eleonora Franco (Verona, Italy) led the way, as she put together her first collegiate hat trick in the Northeast-10 Conference contest at Sodexo Field. Junior Madison Blonde had the lone goal in defeat for New Haven.
With the win, the Ravens improve to 6-2-2 (3-2-2 NE10), while the Chargers fall to 4-7-0 (1-7-0 NE10) following the loss.
In the 31st minute, Franco drilled home a loose ball from the left side of the box for her third goal of the season to break the ice and give the Ravens a 1-0 lead, though it was short-lived. Under three minutes later, in the 33rd, the Chargers tied the game up with a strong possession which ended in Blonde's first collegiate goal.
The Ravens were the aggressors of the first half and controlled momentum throughout, to the tune of advantages of 16-5 in shot attempts and 11-3 in shots on goal. Despite the margins, Franklin Pierce solved graduate student keeper Paige Davis just once in the period, and the game went to halftime level at 1-1.
In the 53rd minute, the Ravens took advantage of a penalty kick, as freshman Jasmine Perez-Acosta (Cape Coral, Fla.) earned her fifth goal of the season with a shot into the left side of the net.
Franco then provided both insurance markers, beginning with her second goal of the game in the 72nd minute, off an assist from junior Ciersten Palumbo (Holbrook, N.Y.), which made it 3-1 and put the game all but out of reach. Just over 10 minutes later, in the 82nd minute, Franco put the icing on the cake and completed her first career hat trick to make it 4-1. Perez-Acosta added an assist on the final salvo of the afternoon.
The Ravens attempted a season-high 28 shots on the afternoon, which included 18 on frame. The busy Davis (4-7-0) finished with a season-high 14 saves. At the other end, Franklin Pierce freshman goalkeeper Emilie Fox (Bridgewater, Mass.) saved four of five shots on her goal to pick up the win (1-1-0).
Following the victory, the Ravens will travel to Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, Oct. 13, for an NE10 matchup against the Owls. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Jess Dow Field in New Haven, Conn.