Demoner & Brazil Advance
to Semifinals of World University Games
Franklin Pierce All-American plays full 90-minutes
of two matches; will play DPR Korea on Wednesday

BANGKOK, Thailand (August 13, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University senior All-American Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) helped Brazil overcome a loss in the final round of pool play with a quarterfinal round victory to reach the semifinal round of the 2007 World University Games today.

            Demoner started and played the full 90-minutes in both matches for Brazil as they fell to Chinese Taipei, 3-1, on Saturday before rebounding for a 1-0 quarterfinal round triumph over China today. In the loss to Taipei, Brazil opened the scoring in the fourth minute. However, TPE answered with goals in the 36^th, 59^th and 75^th minutes. The loss relegated Brazil to second place in Group B behind Russia, who torched New Zealand, 10-0.           

Brazil responded with a 1-0 victory over China in today’s quarterfinal round as Viviane Villar scored the lone marker of the match in the 35^th minute. The win puts Brazil in the semifinals where it will face DPR Korea, a 3-1 winner over Korea today, on Wednesday at 4 a.m. (EDT).

            Demoner, who helped lead Brazil to a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey, is the fourth Franklin Pierce student-athlete, and third women’s soccer player from the University, to represent their country at the WUG. She joins former All-Americans Laura Hislop and Sonya Hughes, who were teammates for the Republic of Ireland in 2005, and Tom Sadler, who played on the United Kingdom’s men’s basketball team in 2005, as WUG participants.

            Demoner is heading into her second season at Franklin Pierce after totaling a team-high 15 goals and 12 assists for 42 points in 19 matches, bagging six match-winning goals in 2006. The Ravens posted a 17-1-1 record in matches she played, advancing to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division II Tournament after capturing their record seventh consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Tournament Championship.

            Franklin Pierce (18-3-1, 12-2-0 NE-10 in 2006), ranked sixth in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II national poll, opens its 2007 season at Holy Family University, in Philadelphia, Pa., on Friday, August 24, at 1 p.m. The Ravens first home match is a key NE-10 contest against The College of Saint Rose, on Saturday, September 1, at 1 p.m.