NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (October 6, 2018) – Coming off its first loss of the season earlier in the week, the No. 9 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team bounced back in convincing fashion on the road on Saturday afternoon. Four different Ravens found the net, and junior forward Veronica Marques (Sao Paulo, Brazil) piled up four points on a goal and two assists, as Franklin Pierce rolled to a 4-0 Northeast-10 Conference win over Merrimack at Martone-Mejail Field.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 9-1-0 (8-1-0 NE10), while Merrimack falls to 4-5-1 (2-5-1 NE10). It marked the final meeting between the two teams, with Merrimack leaving for Division I beginning in 2019-20.

With the Ravens looking to erase the taste of the campaign's first defeat, Marques got the team off on the right foot just 6:52 into the contest. In the seventh minute, she put home her team-leading ninth goal of the season, off of an assist from junior midfielder Gabi Pereira (Belo Horizonte, Brazil).

Franklin Pierce would double the lead to 2-0 before halftime. With just two minutes to play in the opening stanza, freshman forward Ciersten Palumbo (Holbrook, N.Y.) tallied her first collegiate goal, unassisted.

The two-goal first half would prove to be more than enough, on a day where Franklin Pierce was dominant throughout. The host Warriors were credited with 17 shot attempts on the afternoon, but put only two of those attempts on goal. By contrast, the Ravens piled up 25 shot attempts, including 14 shots on goal, and also held a 10-4 edge in corner kicks.

Marques would dish out a pair of second-half assists, in quick succession, to help her teammates push the final victory margin out to 4-0. In the 66^th minute, she set up the ninth of the season for senior midfielder Nathalia Maria da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil), who tied for the team goal-scoring lead and extended the Franklin Pierce lead to 3-0.

The final tally came just 4:53 later, in the 70^th minute. Marques provided the assist for senior forward Bruna Tavares (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), who notched her second goal of the campaign.

Freshman goalkeeper Casey Kane (Millis, Mass.) stopped both shots on her goal to pick up the win (6-1-0) and notch her fifth shutout of the season. At the other end of the field, Merrimack junior Erin Fulton (4-5-1) started, made five saves against seven shots over the opening 45:22 and suffered the loss. Sophomore Megan Langlois added five saves against seven more shots over the final 44:38.

The Ravens return to the field on Wednesday, Oct. 10, when they return home to host Saint Rose in an NE10 contest. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge.

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 soccer apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).