2006 NORTHEAST-10
TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL
#10 Franklin Pierce Edges
Saint Anselm, 2-1 (OT)
Demoner nets winner in the 98^th minute,
Ravens host Bryant for NE-10 Championship Sunday

RINDGE, N.H. (October 27, 2006) – Second-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked tenth in this week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, advanced to its seventh-straight Northeast-10 Championship match with a 2-1 overtime victory over sixth-seeded Saint Anselm College in an NE-10 Tournament semifinal at Sodexho Field this afternoon.

            Franklin Pierce (17-2-0, 12-2-0 NE-10) will look for its seventh-straight NE-10 Tournament title on Sunday when it hosts fourth-seeded Bryant University (15-6-1, 9-4-1 NE-10) at Noon. Bryant upset top-seeded and No. 5-ranked College of Saint Rose, 3-1, in today’s other semifinal match. Saint Anselm falls to 10-6-3 overall (6-5-3 NE-10).

            Juniors Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) and Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) both figured in on both goals for Franklin Pierce, each registering a goal and assist.           

Demoner capped an intense Franklin Pierce overtime attack with her team-best 11^th goal of the season 7:42 into the extra period off a through ball from the right side by Giardina. The Ravens took charge in the extra session, out-shooting Saint Anselm 8-0. Demoner nearly ended the match in highlight fashion with a well executed bicycle kick in the center of the 18 in the 95^th minute, but Saint Anselm sophomore goalkeeper Michaela Smith (Andover, Mass./Andover) made a tremendous diving save to her left.

            Demoner set up Giardina for the Ravens first goal 6:28 before halftime. Demoner sent a cross from the left flank that connected with Giardina for a header that Smith initially got a hand to, but the ball still found the right side of the net for Giardina’s seventh goal of the year.

            Saint Anselm equalized in the 75^th minute when freshman Heidi Reece (Hoosick Falls, N.Y./Hoosick Falls) tipped in a long free kick from the right flank by sophomore Kathleen Kennerley (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) at the far post for her tenth marker of the season.

            The Hawks had their chances to equalize earlier in the second half, but senior Mairead Lundt (Atkinson, N.H./Timberlane) hit the post in the 49^th minute and classmate Jocelyn Savastano (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth North) had a drive carom off the crossbar in the 63^rd.

            Smith kept Saint Anselm in the match with eight saves, including four in the overtime period, as Franklin Pierce out-shot the Hawks, 24-5.

MATCH STATISTICS & PLAY-BY-PLAY