Conroy, Jaksina score for Ravens

EASTON, Mass. (October 19, 2010) – Junior midfielder Kim Jaksina (Townsend, Mass.) scored her sixth goal in the last five games on Tuesday night, but the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team was defeated on the road, 3-2, by No. 6 nationally ranked Stonehill in Northeast-10 Conference play at W.B. Mason Stadium. Junior midfielder Laura Menke scored the game-winning goal early in the second half for Stonehill.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 6-7 (3-2 Northeast-10), while Stonehill improves to 10-4 (6-0 Northeast-10).

Stonehill broke the ice early in the first half. Just past the seven-minute mark, the Skyhawks earned back-to-back penalty corners. While the initial attack off the second corner was turned aside by Franklin Pierce junior goalkeeper Brittany Nyzio (Attleboro, Mass.), the rebound came to Stonehill senior midfielder Michaela Deasy at the top-right portion of the circle. She rifled a shot through traffic which found the back of the cage for her first goal of the season.

Franklin Pierce answered less than eight minutes later with sustained pressure inside the circle. After a couple of blocked shot attempts, the ball fell to sophomore forward Susan Conroy (Walpole, Mass.) in the middle of the circle. She sent it back towards the net and it found its way in for her first goal of the season.

With just under 14 minutes to play in the first half, Stonehill struck again off a corner to reclaim the one-goal lead. The ball was injected to senior midfielder Lauren Gifford at the top of the circle. She sent a pass into the middle of the circle to senior back Courtney Foley, who scored her fourth goal of the season from there.

Stonehill would make it a 3-1 game just shy of five minutes into the second half. Senior midfielder Lindsey Pinkham made a long run down the middle of the field. She beat one defender 10 yards in front of the circle and was confronted by another upon entering it. This time, Pinkham laid the ball off to Menke, who one-timed home her third goal of the season.

Franklin Pierce made it a one-goal deficit again with a goal off a penalty corner with just over 21 minutes to play. Junior forward Danielle Dolan (West Brookfield, Mass.) fed the ball in to Jaksina on the left side of the circle. Jaksina lined a shot from the perimeter inside the near post for her seventh goal of the season. The Ravens would press for the tying goal, especially inside the final 15 minutes, but were unable to find it.

Stonehill held a 15-9 advantage in shots over the course of the match, including a 6-4 edge in shots on goal. Stonehill was active inside the circle, drawing 13 penalty corners, compared to two for Franklin Pierce.

Nyzio started in net and made one save while taking the loss (5-7) for Franklin Pierce. Junior Rachel Baxter (Cumberland, R.I.) stopped the only shot she faced after coming into the game with 16:52 to play. Senior Courtney Osier stopped three shots to pick up the win (10-4) between the pipes for Stonehill.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 23, when they return home to host Adelphi in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at Sodexo Field in Rindge.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). 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).