2007 NCAA II NEW ENGLAND REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
#16 Franklin Pierce Captures 12^th-Straight Regional Crown
Third-seeded Ravens defeat top-seeded
and 3^rd-ranked Saint Rose, 2-0, for second-straight year

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 16, 2007) – Third-seeded Franklin Pierce University, ranked 16^th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II coaches’ poll captured its 12^th-straight New England Regional title with a 2-0 victory over top-seeded and No. 3-ranked College of Saint Rose in third round action of the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship at the Albany Academy for Girls today.

            Franklin Pierce (16-1-5) advances to Sunday’s NCAA Quarterfinal round to face 19^th-ranked West Chester (Pa.) University (17-2-3) here at the Albany Academy for Girls on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Golden Rams advanced past No. 7 LIU-C.W. Post (17-1-3) in a penalty shootout (5-3) after the two sides played to a 0-0 double-overtime draw to capture the Northeast Region title in today’s second match. Saint Rose wraps up its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance at 19-1-2 overall, falling to Franklin Pierce in the regional final for the second-straight year and third time overall.            

It will mark the third-straight year Franklin Pierce and West Chester will meet in the quarterfinal round. The Ravens posted a 2-1 victory in Rindge, N.H., in 2005, while the Golden Rams notched a 2-1 triumph in West Chester last year. Admission to Sunday’s match is $7 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students with ID. Children 12 and under will be admitted free courtesy of the City of Albany.

             Franklin Pierce’s defense continues to shine in postseason play, extending its scoreless streak to 498:11 dating back to the 62^nd minute of the Ravens 5-2 win over Southern Connecticut State University in their regular season finale on October 20. Anchored by sophomore Rachel Smith (Chichester, N.H./Bible Baptist School (Pa.)) and freshman Kelly Weygand (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) at the center back positions, the Ravens has yet to allow a goal in postseason play – a streak of 480 minutes.

            “It was a tough game,” said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey. “The field conditions made it difficult. I don’t think we played very well, but we did enough.”            

Junior goalkeeper Brittany Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) made four saves (all first half) to preserve her fifth-straight shutout and NE-10 leading tenth clean sheet of the season. Senior Lauren Steinberg (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) made two stops over the first 78:21 for Saint Rose, before sophomore Shannon Murphy (Charlton, Mass./St. Peter Marian) made one stop over the final 11:39. Franklin Pierce finished with a 7-5 advantage in shots for the match – 4-0 in the second half.

            “We defended well and got two nice goals which took the pressure off in the second half,” said Bailey. “I think a little quality at the end was the difference.”

            Senior midfielders Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) and Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) combined on both Franklin Pierce goals, recording a goal and assist each on the day.

            Giardina broke the deadlock at the 57-minute mark, when Demoner sent her through the Saint Rose defense with a pass from midfield on the counterattack. Giardina was in one-on-one with Steinberg and slotted a low shot into the left corner from the right channel for her eighth goal of the season (fifth match-winner).

            Giardina connected with Demoner on a square ball from the right side in the 70^th minute. Demoner, the New England region and NE-10 Player of the Year, took a couple touches around a Saint Rose defender before firing a shot from the top of the 18 that Steinberg got a hand to, but could not keep out of the net to ice the victory. Murphy charged off her line a minute after entering the match in the 79^th minute to smother a Franklin Pierce attempt to go up 3-0.

            Saint Rose’s best scoring chances were all in the first half as the Golden Knights out-shot Franklin Pierce 5-3 over the opening 45-minutes. Junior forward Sami Brown (Richland, Wash./Hanford) forced an Ester save in the sixth minute. Ester made a nice stop low to her right on a volley from 12-yards out by senior Lindsay Bove (Holliston, Mass./Holliston) in the 14^th minute. Franklin Pierce’s defense tightened from there and aside from a couple of long-range attempts, Saint Rose didn’t threaten the rest of the way.

            “I just think in the first half we outplayed them and didn’t finish the couple balls we had,” said Bove. “Their keeper made two good saves. In the second half they outplayed us and they finished the balls they had.”

            Franklin Pierce had a pair of chances in the first half, but a one-time at the far post by Weygand off a Demoner corner kick was just wide in the 11^th minute and Demoner had a bending shot from the upper right corner of the penalty area sail just over the cross bar in the 13^th minute.

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