Junior Kirstie St. Martin scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season to knot the score at 2-2 in the second half. |
#14 Franklin Pierce Slips Past Stonehill, 3-2
Johansson nets winner with just 1:01 to play as Ravens survive
EASTON, Mass. (September 30, 2009) - Franklin Pierce University, ranked 14th in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, survived an upset bid from Stonehill College to claim a 3-2 victory in the closing minutes of a Northeast-10 Conference women's soccer matchup at Skyhawk Field this afternoon.
Junior Angelika Johansson (Falkenberg, Sweden) scored the winning goal with just 1:01 to play in regulation to lift Franklin Pierce to its seventh-straight win. Freshman Julie Foster (Dennis, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) assisted on the winner with a serve from the right flank that Johansson headed into the net. Foster finished with a goal and assist for the Ravens, who also got a goal from senior Gabriela Demoner (Vitoria, Brazil).
Junior Kirstie St. Martin (Providence, R.I./Mount Saint Charles Academy) and sophomore Alexandra Murphy (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) scored goals for Stonehill, while sophomore Kelsey Mahoney (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) collected an assist.
Sophomore Jocelyn Leon (Lenox, Mass./Lenox Memorial) made seven saves in goal to preserve the win for Franklin Pierce. Sophomore Sarah Hickey (Lee, Mass./Lee) finished with four stops for Stonehill. Shots were even at 18-18, with the Skyhawks putting ten on goal compared to seven for the Ravens.
Sophomore Alexandra Murphy scored her third goal with a first half penalty. |
Franklin Pierce scored first against the run of play when Foster collected a loose ball just to the right of the penalty spot during a scramble off a Ravens corner kick and sent a volley to Hickey's right for her first collegiate goal 16:24 into the match.
Stonehill equalized in the 26th minute when Murphy converted a penalty kick after she was pulled down in the center of the area. Franklin Pierce regained the lead at 32:32 as Demoner took a square ball from the left side by senior Mackenzie Bulych (Regina, Saskatchewan/Dr. Martin LeBoldus), then turned past a defender and fired a low shot into the left side.
Stonehill leveled the match again in the 58th minute when Mahoney released St. Martin with a through ball from the right side. St. Martin touched the ball past a charging Leon before slotting a low shot into the left corner for her team-leading ninth goal of the season. The Skyhawks nearly went on to take the lead with ten minutes left in regulation when Mahoney had a shot cleared off the line by Franklin Pierce senior back Rachel Smith (Chichester, N.H./Bible Baptist School (Pa.)). The rebound fell to St. Martin who had her shot stopped by Leon.
The game appeared destined for overtime when a failed clear by Stonehill fell to Foster who sent in a cross from the right side that hit Johansson at the top of the 18 for the winning goal.
Stonehill (4-7-0, 2-6-0 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it visits the University of New Haven at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks next home match is Saturday, October 10, against Saint Anselm College at 11 a.m. Franklin Pierce (9-2-0, 7-1-0 NE-10) hosts Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday at 1 p.m.
