Franklin Pierce Defeats
Le Moyne, 62-52
Munch leads four Ravens in double-figures
with 18 points to snap skid

RINDGE, N.H. (December 4, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University put an end to a four-game skid and notched its first Conference win of the season with a 62-52 victory over Le Moyne College in Northeast-10 action at the Fieldhouse tonight.

            Senior guard Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) possessed the hot shooting hand for Franklin Pierce, hitting 7-of-10 shots from the field, including 3-4 from three-point range, for a season-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds.

            Sophomore Terrell Ray (Brooklyn, Mass./Fort Hamilton) added 12 points, six rebounds and two steals, while classmate Marcus Wellman (Monroe, Conn./Hamden Hall) totaled 12 points, three rebounds and three assists for the Ravens. Junior Rimas Varanauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/The Winchendon (Mass.) School) chipped in ten points and seven boards.           

Senior Jonathan Joshua (Inglewood, Calif./Porterville College) led all scorers with 19 points for Le Moyne, shooting 7-for-16 from the field, to go with three rebounds and two steals. Classmate Jason Holmes (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) added 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals, while sophomore Laurence Ekperigin (Cortland Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) grabbed a game-high ten rebounds.

            Franklin Pierce shot 44.0-percent (22-50) from the field, while Le Moyne hit 32.8% (20-61) of its shots.

            Franklin Pierce came out and took a 16-5 lead just over five minutes into the contest, behind five quick points from Munch. Le Moyne answered back with a 20-4 run over the next ten-plus minutes to take a five-point lead (25-20) after a lay-up from Dan Cromwell (Victor, N.Y./Victor).

            Franklin Pierce took a two-point lead into the break (29-27) with a last-second jumper from freshman Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School). The Ravens lead was still two (32-30) 2:12 into the second half, when a Munch three sparked a 16-2 run to put them up 16 with 8:32 to play. Munch book ended the run with another three.

            Le Moyne closed within four (52-48) after a Joshua lay-up with 5:07 left, but junior Craig Shepherd (Grantham, N.H./Trinity) buried a three to spark a 6-0 spurt to put the Ravens back up ten (58-48) with 1:26 left and seal the win.

Franklin Pierce (3-4, 1-4 NE-10) returns to the hardwood on Saturday when it hosts the College of Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m. Le Moyne (3-4, 2-3 NE-10) hosts Saint Michael’s College Saturday at 3 p.m.

BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY