EASTON, Mass. (September 18, 2019) -- Two early goals in 28 seconds set the tone early on and proved to be too big of a deficit for the No. 18 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University soccer team to overcome on the road on Wednesday afternoon. The Ravens fell behind in the first 20 minutes at Stonehill, got on the board late in the opening half, but surrendered a third goal almost immediately, on the way to a 4-1 loss in Northeast-10 Conference play at Skyhawk Field.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-2-0 (1-1-0 NE10), while Stonehill improves to 4-1-0 (2-0-0).

Stonehill's fast start would see the Skyhawks take a 2-0 lead just over 15 minutes into the match. Sophomore midfielder Camryn Thompson would score the match's first goal, followed up nearly instantly by a score from junior forward Kayla Henry.

Stonehill's team defense was stout for a majority of the half, before an ill-advised foul by freshman midfielder Emma Slade would give the Ravens their best chance to capitalize. Slade was issued a yellow card and, on the ensuing free kick, senior midfielder Gabi Pereira (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) fired a shot past senior keeper Kaitlin Brown, cutting into the lead and giving the Ravens life.

It was short-lived however, as the Skyhawks countered quickly. Just 43 seconds after Pereira's marker, Henry used her speed and found a gap in the Ravens' coverage. As freshman goalkeeper Ithaisa Viñoly (Canary Islands, Spain) charged out, Henry chipped the ball around her, avoided contact, and had nothing but an empty goal. Her third goal of the season and second of the match gave the Skyhawks their two-goal lead back late in the half.

The Ravens struggled to find their rhythm offensively all afternoon, but looked to cut into the lead through set pieces after halftime. One of their best second-half chances came off a corner, when senior forward Sophie Cousineau (Milton, Mass.) looped a ball towards goal. The initial attempt by freshman forward Marissa Orlando (Peabody, Mass.) did not connect, but the ball popped loose to freshman back Marissa Gordon (Albany, N.Y.) who got a quality shot off, only to see it stopped by Brown.

A free kick in the 71^st minute set up another golden opportunity for the Ravens. Pereira stood in to take it, looking to repeat her first-half strike, but the shot sailed wide right, and the ensuing counter would put the game on ice for Stonehill. Junior forward Alex Giardina sped down the left side and put a shot to the far side of Viñoly for the tally. The goal made it 4-1 for the Skyhawks and gave Giardina a goal and assist for the match.

The Ravens would be awarded another free kick in the 78^th minute, looking to make it a two-goal deficit. Pereira would once again fire wide right as the Ravens' offense remained unable to finish. The Ravens would pressure all the way through, piling up 17 shot attempts on the afternoon, but struggled to put shots on target at times. Stonehill limited the Ravens to seven shots on goal while landing 10 of their own on frame at the other end.

Viñoly (1-2-0) finished with six saves and suffered the loss in the Franklin Pierce net, while Brown (4-1-0) picked up six saves to notch the win at the other end of the field.

The Ravens remain on the road for their next game, as they will travel to Pace University for a matchup with the Setters. Match time is set for Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. at Pace Stadium in Pleasantville, N.Y.

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' brand new online store (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).