#10 Franklin Pierce 
Tops Le Moyne, 3-0
Welcome nets double, Hislop adds goal and assist 
in Ravens victory

 RINDGE, N.H. (October 18, 2003) – Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 10 in this week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, rebounded from a scoreless first half to post a 3-0 victory over a scrappy Le Moyne College team in Northeast-10 Conference women’s soccer action at Crystal Field this afternoon.

            Junior All-American Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill), the reigning Conference Player of the Year, netted a pair of goals, including the match-winner, to lead Franklin Pierce. Sophomore Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) added a goal and assist for the Ravens, who are now unbeaten in their last 94 home matches (92-0-2) against New England Region opposition.

            Welcome’s two markers give her a Northeast-10 leading 20 for the season and moves her to within one of the program’s career goals record by a US-born player at the College. Amy Hanlon (’96) netted 48 goals over her four-year career at the College.

            Welcome opened the scoring in the 56^th minute when she took advantage of a Le Moyne give-away in the back, walked in, and fired a low shot past junior goalkeeper Char Leonard (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Grimes).            

The Ravens added an insurance tally in the 77^th minute as sophomore Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland) hit Hislop in stride with a through ball that sent her in one-on-one with Leonard for her 18^th goal of the season.

            Hislop set up Welcome’s second goal of the match at the 83:19-mark. Hislop found Welcome with a through ball and Welcome beat one defender before placing her shot into the lower left corner of the net.

            The Ravens out-shot the Dolphins by a 17-3 margin for the match, 12-0 over the final 45 minutes. Neither team placed a shot on target in the opening half.

            Senior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen, Norway) was untested in net for Franklin Pierce in posting her fifth shutout of the season (13^th career). Leonard finished with three saves (all second half) for Le Moyne.

            Franklin Pierce (13-2, 11-1 NE-10) is off until next Saturday, October 25, when it visits Southern New Hampshire University, ranked fourth in the New England Region, in a key Northeast-10 match at 1 p.m. Le Moyne (2-9-1, 2-9-1 NE-10) visits Roberts Wesleyan College on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

MATCH STATISTICS