Déjà vu as Welcome nets match-winner in 99th minute to advance Ravens

RINDGE, N.H. (November 16, 2002) - Sophomore Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) netted the match-winning goal with just 1:51 remaining in the first overtime to lift top-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, past second-seeded and No. 12-ranked Merrimack College in the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer New England Regional Championship match at Crystal Field this afternoon.

It marks the second-straight season Franklin Pierce has gotten an overtime goal from Welcome to defeat Merrimack in the regional final as she scored on a direct kick from 35-yards out that just cleared the goalkeeper's hands and into the upper right corner of the net in the 97th minute of last year's New England regional.

This afternoon, senior Angela Verdoes (Katwijk Aan Zee, Holland) directed a through ball towards the front of the net that snuck through the Warriors defense where Welcome walked in on it for a one-on-one with Merrimack junior goalkeeper Erika Paiva. The Northeast-10 Player of the Year settled the ball before sizing up the keeper before shooting the ball into the lower left side at the 98:09-mark.

The Ravens (17-0-2) advance to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinal round and will face the winner of tomorrow's Northeast Regional final between top-seeded and No. 8-ranked Lock Haven University (16-2-1) and second-seeded and No. 10-ranked Adelphi University (16-1-2) being played in Lock Haven, Pa., at 1:30 p.m. Should Franklin Pierce host the quarterfinal, as expected, the match would be played on Saturday, November 23, on Crystal Field at 1 p.m.

In today's match, Merrimack held a 1-0 lead at the intermission as sophomore Laurie Lamoureux opened the scoring on a direct kick from the top of the 18-yard box that she snuck between the Franklin Pierce wall and the right post at the 20:57-mark. It was the third goal of the season for Lamoureux against the Ravens as she scored all three of the Warriors goals in their three encounters. In the 1-1 draw with Franklin Pierce during the regular season she opened the scoring with a first-half marker.

As snow began to fall in the second half, Merrimack had two excellent chances to take a two-goal lead in the opening minute. Lamoureux had a shot saved by Franklin Pierce junior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen, Norway) and after the Ravens failed to clear, sophomore Rachel Wenc had a header on the near post that looked ticketed for the back of the net that was stopped by Kibsgaard.

The Ravens controlled the match from there and got the equalizer in the 59th minute when a Verdoes direct kick from 30-yards scooted through the Merrimack back line and sophomore Martta Makila (Vantaa, Finland) one-timed it into the back of the net.

Makila had two excellent chances to net the match-winner in regulation, shooting one ball directly into Paiva and had another shot roll just wide of the left post.

Paiva finished the match with seven saves for Merrimack (15-7-1), while Kibsgaard preserved the win with three stops.

#4 Franklin Pierce 2, #12 Merrimack 1 - OT 

Scoring Summary: MC: Laurie Lamoureux (unassisted), 20:57; FP: Martta Makila (Angela Verdoes), 58:05; FP: Meghan Welcome (Verdoes), 98:09.
Goalkeepers: MC: Erika Paiva (98:00), seven saves; FP: Aase Kibsgaard (98:00), three saves.
Shots: MC: 8, FP: 13.