Franklin
Pierce Set for Postseason Debut RINDGE, N.H. (April 29, 2003) - The sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce women’s lacrosse team will make its postseason debut tomorrow afternoon when it travels to Smithfield, R.I., to battle No. 3-seed Bryant College in a Northeast-10 Conference Tournament First Round match at 3 p.m. Franklin Pierce (5-8, 4-5 NE-10) is making its first postseason appearance in the program’s seven-year varsity history. The Ravens, who had won just six total games over the previous five years under head coach Judy Heddy, established program records for overall and Conference wins this spring. Bryant (10-5, 7-2 NE-10), in its second varsity season, finished in a three-way tie for second place, but received the third seed as result of the Conference’s final tiebreaker, the coin-flip.
Tomorrow will mark the third-ever varsity meeting between the two programs. Bryant won the two previous meetings, including a 10-2 decision in Smithfield on April 13. The overall series between the two teams is tied, 2-2, which includes two Franklin Pierce wins over the Bryant club program in 2000 and 2001. On April 13, Bryant opened a 6-0 lead at the intermission in posting the 10-2 victory. Sophomore Cathy Sbarra led the Bulldogs with three goals, while classmate Melissa Talamini added two goals and an assist. Freshmen Courtney Boardman (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and Alissa Silverman (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) netted the goals for the Ravens. Junior goalkeeper Ashley Simpson (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) posted a then-program record 25 saves in goal for Franklin Pierce. The freshman duo of Boardman and Silverman has led the Franklin Pierce attack all spring. Both 40-point scorers have earned Northeast-10 Conference Freshman of the Week accolades, including three by Boardman.
Boardman ranks among Northeast-10 Conference and NCAA Division II leaders with 42 goals this spring to go with seven assists for 49 points (sixth NE-10). Her 42 markers are the second highest total in the Conference to only Stonehill’s All-America senior Katie Lambert and ranks in the top five nationally. Boardman ranks third in program history for single-season goals, tied for second in assists and is second in points in a season. Her totals from just this season are already among the top five on the program’s career lists. Silverman has totaled 35 goals (8th NE-10) and five assists for 40 points this spring to give the Ravens a lethal one-two attacking punch. She currently ranks fourth on the program’s single season goals list, tied for fifth in assists and fourth in points. Silverman’s first year totals are also good for top five’s on the program’s career lists.
Junior Shalon King (Phippsburg, Maine/Morse) has been a top playmaker for the Ravens this spring. She has dished a program-record ten assists, which on its own would have set a career record at the College. For her career, she has 12 career assists, 11 goals and 23 points. This season she has totaled five goals and 15 points, which ranks third on the team. Classmate Angel Bottomley (Hampton, Va./Hampton) was chipped in ten points for the Ravens with four goals and six assists, while senior Rebecca Thibault (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) had totaled six points with three goals and three assists.
Simpson has been the backbone of the Ravens defense and ranks third in the Conference with a .561 save percentage while averaging 16.5 saves per contest. She has played all 788 of her team’s minutes in goal (program record) and her 215 saves so far this season are good for second in program history. Her save percentage ranks second and her 12.79 goals against average is 0.03 under the program record. Seniors Danielle Cloutier (Standish, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and Sara Cheeseman (Chester, Conn./Chester) add support on defense for the Ravens. Junior Elizabeth Blaisdell leads Bryant with 52 points (9th NE-10), having totaled 14 goals and dished a Conference high 38 assists. Talamini has totaled 42 points on 31 goals (9th) and 11 assists, while Sbarra has chipped in 24 goals and three assists for 27 points. Freshman Samantha Libby has played all 900 of her team’s minutes in goal and boasts a 6.87 goals against average (2nd NE-10) and .490 save percentage (5th) having been called on to make a total of 99 stops this season. The winner of tomorrow’s first round match will advance to the NE-10 Final Four, hosted by top-seeded and No. 4-ranked Stonehill College this weekend to play No. 2-seeded Saint Michael’s College at 2:30 p.m. The Northeast-10 Championship match is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. |
