#16 Franklin Pierce
Shuts Out Le Moyne, 2-0
Ester collects four saves in third shutout
of the season; Ravens move into first place tie
 

RINDGE, N.H. (October 3, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked 16^th in this week’s National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Northeast-10 Conference standings with a 2-0 victory over Le Moyne College, ranked seventh in the New England Region, in women’s soccer action at Sodexho Field this afternoon.

 

The win moves Franklin Pierce, winners of four-straight and unbeaten in its last seven, into a three-way tie for first place in the Northeast-10 standings with 23 points. No. 2 Bryant University and 10^th-ranked College of Saint Rose played to a 2-2 double-overtime draw in Smithfield, R.I., this afternoon. Those two teams each have a match in hand on the Ravens in Conference play.

 

Franklin Pierce rode a pair of goals in the opening 20-minutes to victory this afternoon, with junior goalkeeper Brittany Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) making four saves (three second half) to preserve her third shutout of the season. Junior Amanda Abbatiello (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) made three stops for Le Moyne. Franklin Pierce finished with an 8-5 edge in shots for the match.

 

Senior All-American Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) opened the scoring seven minutes into the match when she took a pass down the left sideline from junior Melissa Hagmire (Livonia, N.Y./Livonia) and cut back across the middle, beating a pair of defenders, before slipping a low shot off Abbatiello’s glove and over the goal line for her NE-10 best 13^th goal of the season. The assist for Hagmire marked her first career point.

 

The Ravens have scored first in 11 of their 12 matches so far this season, with the lone exception a 0-0 draw with Saint Rose on September 1.

 

Franklin Pierce doubled its advantage just under 13-minutes later as senior Thatiane Preisler (Curitiba, Brazil) took a cross from the right side by senior Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) and drove a shot through the hands and legs of Abbatiello at 19:50.

 

Franklin Pierce (9-1-2, 7-1-2 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it visits the University of Massachusetts Lowell, ranked seventh in the region, at noon. The Ravens return home next Tuesday, October 9, to host Bentley College at 7 p.m. Le Moyne (7-5-0, 4-5-0 NE-10) hosts Merrimack College on Saturday at noon.

BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY