NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Franklin Pierce (8-3-1, 8-0-0) broke a scoreless tie with a pair of goals one minute and 24 seconds apart in the second half to defeat Merrimack (4-6-3, 3-4-1). Mark Jansen (Enschede, The Netherlands) and Lars Bakker (Enschede, The Netherlands) each scored the goals for Franklin Pierce, which is ranked No. 14 in this week’s NSCAA national poll and remains unbeaten in Northeast-10 Conference play. 

The Ravens came close to sneaking a goal in late in the first half. With just over three minutes to play in the half, Jansen attempted a crossing pass from the left corner that drifted over Merrimack keeper Keith Boudreau (Forestdale, Mass.) and bounced off the far post. 

Jansen got the Ravens on the board at the 58:12 mark when he headed in a cross from Kyle Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy). Bakker followed with his league-leading 13^th goal of the season at the 59:36 mark. The sophomore ran on to a long pass from Michael Black (Guilford, Conn./Guilford) then fired a low shot into the right side of the net.

Domenico Roma (Windsor, Ontario/Ste. Annes) did not have to make a save in earning the shutout. Boudreau stopped four shots over the first 67 minutes of play before Ted Kakambouras (Melrose, Mass.) made a pair of saves over the final 23 minutes.

Franklin Pierce returns to the pitch on Tuesday when it hosts Stonehill College in a Northeast-10 Conference match at 3:30 p.m.

MATCH STATISTICS