#3 Franklin Pierce Explodes Past #18 Southern Connecticut, 5-1
Hislop’s six points and Welcome hat trick lead Ravens after early deficit

 RINDGE, N.H. (September 10, 2003) – Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 3 in this week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, overcame an early deficit with five unanswered goals to post a 5-1 victory over No. 18 Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference women’s soccer action at Crystal Field this afternoon.

            Sophomore forward Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) led the attack with six points, scoring two goals and dishing two assists. Junior All-American Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) recorded her first hat trick of the season for the Ravens who extend their home unbeaten streak to 88 matches.

            The match wasn’t without its struggles, as Southern Connecticut, ranked third in New England, struck first in the fifth minute. Freshman Theresa Viscardi (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem Lake) netted the first goal of the season against the Ravens when she blasted a pass from junior Tracie Lukert (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) into an open net. The play came as a result of a defensive give away for Franklin Pierce and junior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen, Norway) came off her line in an attempt to bat the pass away.

            Franklin Pierce responded quickly as Hislop knocked in a tipped pass from freshman Alex Scavo (Markham, Ontario/Brother Andre) at the 7:47-mark.

Both teams had entered the match having yet to yield a goal, with Southern unscored upon over its first 360 minutes over four matches and the Ravens boasting a 180-minute shutout string over their first two matches.

            Franklin Pierce took the lead for good in the 36^th minute when Welcome slid between two Owls defenders at the far post to connect on the end of an Hislop cross from the right side on the break. The Ravens further took the wind out of the Owls sails when Hislop followed up her own shot at the 41:56-mark for her second goal of the half for a 3-1 advantage heading into he intermission.

            Welcome finished her hat trick with two markers within an eight-minute span midway through the second half. The first came when she was left with a wide-open shot after a point-blank shot from Hislop couldn’t be corralled by Southern freshman goalkeeper Jaime Shertzer (East Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) in the 62^nd minute. Welcome rounded out the scoring in the 70^th minute when she headed in a cross from sophomore Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) from the middle of the penalty area.

            Kibsgaard registered a season-high three saves in net for Franklin Pierce, while Shertzer finished with seven stops for Southern.

            Franklin Pierce (3-0, 3-0 NE-10) returns to action on Friday afternoon when it visits No. 16 Texas A&M-Commerce at 5 p.m., (ET) as part of a two-match swing through the Lone State State over the weekend. Southern Connecticut (4-1, 0-1 NE-10) hosts No. 11 Merrimack College on Saturday at 7 p.m.

MATCH STATISTICS