Baillargeon has role in both OT goals, finishes with six points as Ravens match single-season win mark and keep playoff hopes alive

Boxscore 

RINDGE, N.H. (April 15, 2009) - Franklin Pierce University picked up its program record matching fifth win of the season and put itself in the thick of the postseason hunt with a 16-14 overtime triumph over Saint Anselm College in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action as part of "Pierce Pride Week" at Sodexo Field tonight.

Franklin Pierce's five wins this season matches the record set during the 2003 season (5-9, 4-5 NE-10) - the program's only postseason campaign. Tonight also marks the Ravens first overtime victory since claiming a 9-8 triple overtime decision at Merrimack College on March 29, 2003. Franklin Pierce has won back-to-back games for the second time this season and fourth time in program history.

Sophomore Jordan Baillargeon (Westfield, Mass./Westfield) led Franklin Pierce with four goals and two assists for six points, converting all three free-position attempts and adding two ground balls, two draw controls and two caused turnovers. Baillargeon played a role in both Raven goals in overtime, scoring on an empty-net free-position attempt with 3:07 left in the extra session, before setting up freshman Brianna Nash (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) for an insurance goal with 2:01 left in extra time.

Freshman Jillian Bolduc (Atkinson, N.H./Timberlane) made 11 of her 15 saves after halftime to preserve the win in goal for Franklin Pierce. She had three stops, two on free-position attempts, in the final 3:16 of regulation to force overtime and then made two quick saves early in the second half of overtime after the Ravens had taken the lead - posting three saves in overtime overall to preserve the win. The Ravens also got a strong defensive performance from freshman Kimberly Jaksina (Townsend, Mass./Middlesex Regional) who compiled a team-high seven ground balls, six draw controls and forced four turnovers.

Sophomore Lauren Stille (North Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) and freshman Christine McKay (Norwood, Mass./Norwood) each netted three goals for Franklin Pierce, with McKay adding three draw controls and two ground balls. Nash finished with two goals, while sophomore Ashley Moirano (South Burlington, Mass./South Burlington) chipped in a goal and two assists for three points.

Senior Michaela Rocha (Rye, N.H./Berkshire School) led Saint Anselm with three goals and three assists for six points. Sophomore Courtney Ford (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) netted a game-high five goals, while freshman Meghan Smith (East Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) added two goals and two assists for four points. Smith also collected a game-high eight draw controls.           

Sophomore Katherine O'Hara (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) made ten saves, including six in the second half, over 62:51 in goal for Saint Anselm before being sent to the sidelines with a yellow card with nine-seconds left in the first half of overtime after a costly foul which gave Baillargeon a free-position shot at an empty net. Baillargeon buried the attempt for her fourth goal of the match (33^rd of the season). 

Franklin Pierce led by three (12-9) after a Baillargeon goal, assisted by Moirano, with 12:40 left in regulation. Saint Anselm rallied with four-straight goals, three from Ford, to take their first lead of the second half (13-12) after an eight-meter goal by Smith with 5:23 remaining. The Ravens regained the lead with goals from McKay and Moirano in a 49-second span with 4:05 on the clock. Saint Anselm knotted the score again as Rocha set up sophomore Emily Traicoff (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) with 3:16 left in regulation and Bolduc kept the Hawks there with her three late saves.

The game appeared headed towards the second half of the overtime period still knotted at 14, when Baillargeon checked the ball out of O'Hara's stick to the right of the goal and created a scoring chance with nine seconds left before the teams switched ends. O'Hara was issued her costly yellow and Baillargeon buried the free-position shot into the empty net. Baillargeon set up Nash for an important insurance goal with 2:01 left in extra time.

Saint Anselm held the early momentum in the contest, staking out a 4-1 lead after Ford's first goal of the match, assisted by Rocha, with 16:31 remaining in the opening half. Rocha played a role in three of the Hawks first four goals with two goals and an assist. Franklin Pierce scored the next three goals to knot the score at 4-4 after a marker from freshman Mary Kate Stille (North Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) with 9:04 left in the half.

Saint Anselm regained the lead (5-4) after a goal from junior Tia Karon (Medford, Mass./Medford) with 7:57 left in the half, but Franklin Pierce scored five of the last six goals of the opening frame to take a 9-6 lead into intermission. Baillargeon had two goals and an assist during that stretch, with McKay scoring the final goal of the half with just four-seconds left on the clock.

Franklin Pierce (5-7, 2-5 NE-10) closes out the regular season with three-straight road games beginning Saturday at Southern Connecticut State University at 1 p.m. The Ravens will be looking to win three-straight games for the first time in program history. Saint Anselm (5-7, 3-5 NE-10) visits Assumption College next Tuesday at 7 p.m.