#14 Merrimack Scores 
Late Draw With 
Franklin Pierce, 2-2 (2OT)
Warriors equalize with 3.8-seconds left 
in regulation

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (October 11, 2005) – Merrimack College, ranked No. 14 in this week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, equalized for the second time with just 3.8-seconds left in regulation to force a 2-2 draw with Franklin Pierce, ranked fifth in the New England region, in a key Northeast-10 Conference men’s soccer match tonight at Warrior Field.

            Merrimack senior Dave DeSimone (Woburn, Mass.) brought the Warriors back from a goal down for the second time in the match when he headed in a cross from sophomore Tokelo Gugushe (Stoughton, Mass.) from the right side with just 3.8-seconds left in regulation, stealing an important victory from Franklin Pierce.            

Sophomore midfielder Brandon McMahon (Chapelhall, Scotland) put Franklin Pierce on top for the second time in the match when he drove a free kick from 25-yards into the right side of the net at 65:12 for his first goal in a Ravens uniform.

            All-America forward Christopher Joyce (Jarrow, England) opened the scoring for Franklin Pierce with a penalty kick at 32:08, beating Merrimack senior goalkeeper Ted Kakambouras (Melrose, Mass.) to the lower right corner.

            Merrimack knotted the score just 6:03 later with sophomore Martin Gabadian (Montevideo, Uruguay) shooting a direct kick into the upper right corner at 38:31.

            Kakambouras finished with eight saves for the Warriors, who out-shot the Ravens, 18-15. Sophomore goalkeeper James Thorpe (East Longmeadow, Mass./Bridgton Academy) also recorded eight stops for Franklin Pierce.

            Franklin Pierce (7-4-3, 5-1-2 NE-10) returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Saint Michael’s College at 2 p.m. Merrimack (9-3-2, 7-1-2 NE-10) visits UMass Lowell on Saturday at 1 p.m.  

MATCH STATISTICS