Field Hockey Opens NE-10 Play At Merrimack, Hosts Adelphi, Visits C.W. Post This Week

Ravens visit Warriors Tuesday and Pioneers Sunday, entertain Panthers Saturday

Match 4 - Sept. 8, 2009
North Andover, Mass.
Franklin Pierce (1-2, 0-0 NE-10) at
Merrimack (1-3, 0-0 NE-10)
4 p.m. - Warrior Field

Match 5 - Sept. 12, 2009
Rindge, N.H.
Adelphi (2-2, 0-0 NE-10) at
Franklin Pierce (1-2, 0-0 NE-10)
1 p.m. - Sodexo Field
Listen Live

Match 6 - Sept. 13, 2009
Brookville, N.Y.
Franklin Pierce (1-2, 0-0 NE-10) at
C.W. Post (0-1, 0-0 PSAC)
1 p.m. - Hickox Field

After a busy week of non-conference play to open the season, the Franklin Pierce University field hockey team will open Northeast-10 Conference play on Tuesday afternoon when it travels to Merrimack for a 4 p.m. contest. On Saturday, the Ravens will return home to face Adelphi at 1 p.m. in a non-conference match before traveling to C.W. Post for a 1 p.m., non-conference meeting on Sunday.

Saturday afternoon’s home game will be broadcast live on the Ravens Sports Network at WFPC-LP 105.3 FM and online at athletics.franklinpierce.edu. A.J. Berube will have the call.

Last week, the Ravens picked up one win in their first three matches of the season. On Monday night, freshman forward Susan Conroy (Walpole, Mass.) picked up her first career goal, but Franklin Pierce was clipped, 3-2, on a goal with just over five minutes remaining in regulation at Assumption. On Wednesday night in their home-opener, the Ravens blitzed Southern Connecticut State, 5-1, on the strength of a goal and an assist each by junior forward Ashley Moirano (Vero Beach, Fla.) and junior midfielder Jordan Baillargeon (Westfield, Mass.). Finally, on Saturday afternoon, a Jackie Ladino hat trick led No. 8 nationally ranked Stonehill past Franklin Pierce, 6-0.

Picked to finish ninth in the Northeast-10, Merrimack (1-3, 0-0 Northeast-10) has dropped three of its first four contests of the season and holds its Northeast-10 opener when it hosts Franklin Pierce on Tuesday afternoon. Most recently, the Warriors picked up their first win of the season by shutting out American International, 6-0, at home on Saturday. Freshman forward April Daugherty scored twice and added a pair of assists for Merrimack and senior forward Jaclyn Germano added a pair of goals as well, including the game-winner. Freshman goalkeeper Kerri Berqquist stopped all six shots she faced for the Warriors to earn her first career win and shutout.

On the season, Daugherty leads the way for Merrimack with two goals and three assists for seven points in the Warriors’ first four matches. Berqquist has seen all the action between the pipes and owns a 1-3 record with one shutout and a 3.63 goals-against average.

Last time against Merrimack, Stephanie Howard scored twice and added an assist on Oct. 4, 2008 to lead Franklin Pierce to a 3-1 victory over Merrimack in Northeast-10 Conference play at Warrior Field in North Andover, Mass. Kayleigh Jaksina tallied a goal and an assist for Franklin Pierce while Maggie Florence scored the lone goal of the game for Merrimack.

Franklin Pierce and Merrimack have split 16 all-time meetings, with each team winning eight times, though the Ravens have taken the past two contests between the two schools. Merrimack’s last victory in the series came on Oct. 18, 2007, a 3-2 win at Merrimack. Jenna Picco scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, for Merrimack in that game.

Picked to finish ninth in its inaugural season in the Northeast-10, Adelphi (2-2, 0-0 Northeast-10) has split its first four contests. Most recently, sophomore forward Julianne Gerbino scored twice on Sunday afternoon to lead Adelphi to a 5-2 win at home against Saint Anselm in non-conference play. Four different Panthers scored goals, while sophomore goalkeeper Lucia Vigliotti made six saves in net to earn the victory.

On the season, Gerbino leads the offense with seven goals for 14 points in Adelphi’s first four games. Goalkeepers have yet to find a way to stop Gerbino, as she has her seven goals with just nine shots on goal. Vigliotti has seen a majority of the time between the pipes for Adelphi and brings a 2-1 record and a 2.14 goals-against average into Saturday’s contest.

Saturday’s meeting will be the first-ever field hockey match between Franklin Pierce and Adelphi.

Picked to finish fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, C.W. Post (0-1, 0-1 PSAC) dropped its season-opener, 1-0, at home against No. 7 East Stroudsburg on Saturday. Kayla Cilenti scored the only goal of the game for East Stroudsburg, while junior goalkeeper Courtney Colern made six saves in defeat for C.W. Post. The Pioneers will host Bloomsburg on Wednesday and visit Millersville on Saturday before entertaining the Ravens on Sunday afternoon.

Last time against C.W. Post, Amber Limanni notched a goal and assist on Saturday to lead the Pioneers to a 2-1 victory over Franklin Pierce in non-conference action at Sodexo Field in Rindge. Ashley Abernethy tallied the lone goal of the game for the Ravens.

Franklin Pierce holds a 2-8 record in 10 all-time meetings with the Pioneers, and C.W. Post has won each of the last two contests. Franklin Pierce’s last victory over the Pioneers came on Sept. 24, 2005, a 5-0 whitewashing at Sodexo Field. Mary Beth Huszar scored twice in the contest, including the game-winner just 68 seconds into the game, for the Ravens. Amanda Pietraszuk stopped the only shot on her cage to post the shutout for Franklin Pierce.

After a trio of games this week, the Ravens are back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 16 when they travel to Saint Anselm for a non-conference contest at 4 p.m. in Manchester, N.H. Franklin Pierce will return home on Sept. 19 to host American International in a Northeast-10 contest at 1 p.m.