Moulton puts home late goal

RINDGE, N.H. (October 7, 2015) – Sodexo Field was decked out in pink -- as were the fans in attendance -- on Wednesday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team hosted its Play for the Cure game, raising money in support of breast cancer research and awareness. Despite the good cause in tow, the Ravens were unable to pull out a win on their home field, as Stonehill used a pair of second-half goals to finish off a 3-1 victory in Northeast-10 Conference play.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-5 (2-4 Northeast-10), while Stonehill improves to 7-4 (5-1 Northeast-10).

Much of the first half went scoreless on Wednesday, before Stonehill junior midfielder Sarah Morse found the first goal in the 31st minute. On a penalty corner, the Skyhawks worked the ball to freshman forward Kacie Smith, who took a shot from the top of the circle, just off to the left-wing side. Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Meaghan Williams (Salem, N.H.) made the initial save on the play, but Morse was at the left post to clean up the rebound for her second goal of the season.

Just past 10 minutes into the second half, in the 46th minute, Stonehill doubled the lead to 2-0 on the fourth of the campaign for sophomore forward Alexandria Sylvia. A feed up the right side from the midfield by senior forward Elizabeth Thornton left Sylvia with the ball and a partial breakaway into the circle on the right side. Before the defense could reconfigure to shut down the rush, Sylvia uncorked a shot which beat Williams and found the left side of the net.

Stonehill would add a final insurance marker in the 61st minute to push the lead as high as 3-0. Senior forward Erika Kelly sent a long shot through traffic and towards the goal from the left side. It appeared Williams may not have had a read on the ball, looking both through traffic and into the setting sun. Either way, the ball found the goal inside the right post for Kelly's team-leading 11th goal of the season.

Franklin Pierce got on the board and broke up the shutout with 59.1 seconds to play off of a penalty corner. The Ravens sent to ball to sophomore forward Erin Smith (Templeton, Mass.) who laid it off to the right for freshman midfielder Raegan Moulton (Baldwinville, Mass.). Moulton took a long drive from the right side, which Stonehill freshman goalkeeper Sara Freedman was able to get her pad to, but could not stop. The shot deflected off of Freedman's pad and into the top-left corner of the net for Moulton's fourth goal of the season.

Williams (5-4) finished with two saves against five shots on goal in the loss for Franklin Pierce. Freedman (6-3) made five stops against six shots on goals in the victory for Stonehill.

The Ravens return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 10, when they travel to Southern Connecticut State for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Jess Dow Field in New Haven, Conn.

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). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce field hockey can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).