Franklin Pierce 
Edges Assumption, 1-0
McNeil’s 12^th minute goal holds up 
as Thorpe posts fifth shutout

RINDGE, N.H. (October 5, 2004) – Franklin Pierce, ranked sixth in this week’s New England Regional poll, scored early and made it stand up to post a 1-0 victory over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference men’s soccer action this afternoon.

            Grad student Tom McNeil (Paisley, Scotland) scored on the first Franklin Pierce shot of the match, when classmate Christopher Joyce (Jarrow, England) sent him in with a throughball from midfield. McNeil blasted a shot from the left channel into the right corner of the net 11:28 into the match.

            McNeil had a chance to put the Ravens up a pair in the 32^nd minute when they were awarded a penalty kick, 

but his attempt caromed off the right post. The Ravens had two chances to double their advantage in the 64^th minute, but a Joyce blast from close range was saved by Assumption sophomore goalkeeper Brett Miller (Franklin, Mass./Tri County) and senior Troy McColl’s (Sydney, Australia) shot off the rebound was blocked by a defender.

            Assumption nearly equalized in the 75^th minute as grad student Chris Laut (Hopkinton, Mass./East Greenwich (R.I.)) broke in one-on-one with Franklin Pierce freshman goalkeeper James Thorpe (East Longmeadow, Mass./Bridgton Academy), but Thorpe charged off his line and smothered the shot to keep the shutout intact.

            Thorpe made five saves to preserve his fifth shutout of the season, which moves him into sole possession of sixth place on the program’s all-time list. Miller finished with eight saves to keep the Greyhounds in the match.

            Franklin Pierce (7-4, 4-2 NE-10) returns to action on Thursday when it hosts Saint Anselm College at 4 p.m. Assumption (1-6-2, 0-6 NE-10) hosts Saint Michael’s College on Friday at 3:30 p.m.