Offense Comes Through as Field Hockey Defeats New Haven, 3-0

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (September 14, 2019) -- A 25^th-minute goal by senior midfielder Allison Collins (Sandown, N.H.) finally broke the seal on a first half which saw the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team pile up a 13-2 advantage in shot attempts at DellaCamera Stadium. The Ravens would add a pair of goals in the second half to open the Northeast-10 Conference portion of their season with a 3-0 win on the road at New Haven.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 1-3 (1-0 NE10), while New Haven falls to 1-3 (1-1 NE10). The two teams will meet again on Sunday, for a non-conference tilt at noon at DellaCamera Stadium.

The Ravens came into the first of two weekend meetings against the New Haven Chargers winless through three games and struggling to score. With just two goals through their first three games, the Ravens would have plenty of chances early on to find the back of the goal. The Ravens racked up a 6-1 shot advantage after the first quarter, but Chargers' junior goalie Natalie Shaker stood tall with four saves early.

It appeared penalty-corner struggles might come back to bite the Ravens, who started the game 0-for-6 on corners. That all changed when sophomore back Julianne Sacco (Southborough, Mass.) set up senior forward Jessica Greeley (Winslow, Maine) off a corner play in the 25^th minute. Greeley let the shot fly and Collins deflected it en route to beat Shaker and get the Ravens on the board with her first of the season.

The Chargers' offense sputtered for most of the first half. Their first corner attempt came with 2:30 remaining in the second quarter and it would prove to be the first test for Franklin Pierce junior goalkeeper Olivia Barnes (Greenwich, N.Y.). She made her first save of the game off a chance from sophomore forward Alexis Rider, as she booted  the bouncing ball away from danger.

The Ravens were in command with a 13-2 shot advantage through 30 minutes, however Shaker kept her team in the game with seven saves on eight first-half shots on goal. Despite the pressure, the Ravens were stuck with just a 1-0 lead.

Good fortune would bless the Ravens in the third quarter as Madison Gagnon (Milford, N.H.) tapped home a loose ball from the right side of the goal. The initial shot was blocked down, but the rebound just slipped out within Gagnon's reach. The senior put the slow roller in past Shaker for her first of the season.

With a 2-0 lead, the Ravens were looking to put the game farther out of reach. Shaker made a big save in close on the far side against freshman forward Meghan Winn (Newburyport, Mass.) to keep it a two-goal deficit. Shaker did all she could to keep her team in it, but the Ravens offense would break through once again.

About nine minutes after Gagnon's goal, the Ravens would add their third of the afternoon. Sophomore Feline van Doorn (Barendrecht, Netherlands) appeared to surprise Shaker with a blistering shot from distance which slipped past the Chargers' goalie. The Chargers had spurts of offensive pressure and the shot totals for the third quarter were closer (6-4 in favor FPU), but the damage was already done.

The Ravens offense broke through in a big way in the team's first win of the season, outshooting the Chargers 19-8 with 13 landing on goal. In goal Barnes (1-3) picked up the win by stopping five shots for the second shutout of her career. Her counterpart Shaker (2-2) stopped 10 of 13 shots in the defeat.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce field hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).