SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 20, 2021) –– The Franklin Pierce University women's soccer scored twice in the first half and never looked back on Wednesday night, on the way to a 4-1 win on the road at American International, in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup. Freshman Aino Martikainen (Järvenpää, Finland) led the way with a pair of goals at Abdow Field.

Franklin Pierce improves to 8-3-2 (5-3-2 NE10) with the win, while the Yellow Jackets of AIC fall to 5-6-1 (3-6-0 NE10). 

In the 21^st minute, Martikainen scored the game's first goal, her second of the season, as she popped a free kick into the upper-left corner from nearly 45 yards out. Just under 10 minutes later, in the 30^th, sophomore Tess McKenzie (Warren, Rhode Island) scored her fourth goal of the season, as she capitalized on a turnover and one-timed a shot into the lower-right corner from the top of the penalty area.

Franklin Pierce enjoyed a 7-5 advantage in shots in the first half, but the Yellow Jackets tried to turn the tables in the second half. Despite being outshot 10-3 over the final 45 minutes, the Ravens were able to put home a pair of insurance markers before AIC got on the board.

In the 83rd minute, Martikainen completed her first collegiate multiple-goal game with another free-kick strike, this one from 25-plus yards out on the left side. The Finnish export has now scored three times in two games, all via direct shots off of free kicks.

Just 3:35 later, at the 87th minute, freshman Eleonora Franco (Verona, Italy) put the icing on the cake for the Ravens, as she scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season, after she hit the post on a partial breakaway, but then tracked down her own rebound behind the goalkeeper to finish things off.

AIC broke up the shutout with just 81 seconds remaining, on the first collegiate goal for freshman Sydney Mercier to cut the final deficit to three goals. She had a one-touch finish out front off a feed from low on the right side by freshman Gabby Williams.

Freshman goalkeeper Gabby Calidonio (Flagler Beach, Fla.) started the game in the Franklin Pierce net and made seven saves against eight shots on goal on the way to the win (7-2-2). For AIC, junior Tamara Zippin (5-3-1) made just one save against five shots in the loss.

The Ravens are back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 26, on the road in Colchester, Vt., as they take on Saint Michael's in another NE10 matchup at 2:45 p.m.