Eckhardt Makes Four Saves As Seventh Seeded Women's Soccer Makes First Northeast-10 Playoff Appearance In Five Years In Dropping 2-0 Quarterfinal Round Decision At 10th-Ranked Franklin Pierce

October 24, 2006

STONEHILL WOMEN'S SOCCER

2006 Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinals

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Sodexho Field, Rindge, N.H.

FINAL: FRANKLIN PIERCE 2, STONEHILL 0

1 2 Total

Stonehill (6-6-4) 0 0 - 0

Franklin Pierce (15-2) 1 1 - 2

SCORING SUMMARY

FPC: Rachel Smith (Laura Stockdale) 30:12 1st

FPC: Smith (Unassisted) 73:32 2nd

GOALIE SAVES

STO: Alex Eckhardt-4

FPC: Jenna Mello-5

RINDGE, N.H.-- Freshman Rachel Smith (Carlisle, Pa.) netted a pair of goals, while junior Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H.) made five saves in goal as second-seeded and 10th-ranked Franklin Pierce posted a 2-0 victory over seventh-seeded Stonehill in quarterfinal round action of the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Soccer Championships Tuesday afternoon at Sodexho Field.

The host Ravens, who improve to 15-2 overall with their 14th straight victory, will host sixth-seeded Saint Anselm in Friday's semi-final round match at Sodexho Field, as the Hawks bested third-seeded UMass Lowell 1-0 in another league quarterfinal played Tuesday evening in Lowell, Mass.

The visiting Skyhawks, who finish the year at 6-6-4 overall in making their first Northeast-10 playoff appearance in five years, had a pair of chances to take the lead in the early going, but Smith gave Franklin Pierce the only goal it would need in the 31st minute of action when she converted a crossing pass from junior Laura Stockdale (Sunderland, England) for a 1-0 lead at the break. Stonehill nearly scored the equalizer on a sequence of two shots midway through the second half before Smith closed out the scoring for the Ravens when she converted a missed clearing attempt for an unassisted tally in the 74th minute, and Mello took care of the rest to record her eighth shutout of the season.

Junior Alex Eckhardt (Marshfield, Mass.) made four stops in net on the day for the Skyhawks, as Franklin Pierce outshot Stonehill by a 14-8 margin.