PENMEN FALL TO RAVENS IN
NE-10 QUARTERFINALS
BOX SCORE
RINDGE, N.H. - Top-seeded and host Franklin Pierce
University scored three times in a span of 4:20 early in the second
half to erase a 1-0 halftime deficit and post a 3-1 win over No. 8
seed Southern New Hampshire University in the quarterfinals of the
Northeast-10 Conference men's soccer tournament Sunday evening at
Sodexho Field. The Ravens, who improve to 13-1-3 overall,
advance to face fifth-seeded Merrimack in Wednesday's semifinal
round. The Penmen close out their season at 5-8-5 overall.
Southern New Hampshire took a 1-0
lead in the 18th minute. Kevin Woods (Alyth,
Scotland) sent a high free kick into the box that Franklin Pierce
keeper James Thorpe (East Longmeadow, MA) couldn't
control. The loose ball was knocked home by Matt
Delaney (Wallasey, England) for his fifth goal of the
season.
The Penmen had two prime chances to
add to their lead over the next several minutes. Moments
later, Thorpe couldn't control another loose ball at the top of the
box and a deflection off the leg of Daniel
Hernandez (Salem, NH) skipped just outside the far left
post. Midway through the half a Simon
Kearney (Barrow-upon-Humber, England) free kick nearly
snuck under the crossbar but Thorpe knocked it away at the last
second.
Franklin Pierce nearly tied the
game with just over 17 minutes left in the first half when a
Henning Come (Goteborg, Sweden) shot glanced off
SNHU goalie Dan Pelc (Hamilton, ONT) and nearly
trickled across the goal line, but Pelc was able to recover and
control the ball right before it went over.
The hosts tied the game just shy of
eight minutes into the second half. David
Clifton (London, England) found Frantz
Francois (Saint-Marc, Haiti) streaking down the right side
all alone. Francois took two dribbles and fired a shot past
Pelc for the equalizer.
Franklin Pierce would take a 2-1
lead 2:21 later. Francois found himself all alone in the box
and when Pelc came out to play him, Francois knocked the ball over
to Come, who one-timed it into the empty net at the 55:01
mark. Come made it 3-1 just under two minutes later when he
scored on a breakaway, with Clifton registering the assist on the
tally.
Thorpe made four saves for Franklin
Pierce, which outshot SNHU 12-6, including 7-0 in the second
half. Pelc closed out his career with five saves for the
Penmen.
