Raven Men Knock Off No. 2 Dowling

Franklin Pierce Women Roll Over Caldwell

August 28, 2009

RINDGE, N.H. -- Sophomore goalkeeper Alexander Pilitsis (Brunswick, Maine) turned aside all five shots he faced and senior midfielder Kensaku Tsuji scored the game-winning goal in the first half Thursday night as the No. 16 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University men’s soccer team opened the season with a 3-0 home victory in non-conference play over No. 2 Dowling at Sodexo Field.

The win gave Franklin Pierce head coach Craig Stewart his first career victory in his initial game as a collegiate bench boss.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the 21st minute when the Dowling defense turned the ball over and Tsuji found the ball on his feet at the top of the penalty area. Tsuji took the ball up the middle and hammered a shot through Dowling junior goalkeeper Matt Thavenius to give the Ravens a 1-0 lead.

Franklin Pierce pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 26th minute on a nice passing play down the right side. Sophomore midfielder Victor Goncalves flicked the ball to graduate student midfielder Frantz Francois, who made a run down the right side. Francois attacked the box and slipped a shot inside the far post to double the Raven lead.

Pilitsis was tested in the 31st minute, but was equal to the challenge. Dowling junior back Chris Cano was sprung on the left side of the box into a one-on-one situation with the keeper, but Pilitsis was able to force the shot outside the near post to preserve the 2-0 lead.

Franklin Pierce held a slim, 7-6 advantage in shots over the opening 45 minutes and enjoyed a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.

The Ravens put the game away in the 70th minute on a solo rush by sophomore midfielder Diego Tabares (Seekonk, Mass.), who swept from right to left across the top of the box and uncorked a shot which beat Thavenius inside the far post to create the 3-0 final score.

Pilitsis made five saves in his Franklin Pierce debut to post the clean sheet and earn the win. Thavenius made four saves against seven shots to take the loss (0-1-0) between the pipes for Dowling.

Meanwhile, in New Haven, Conn., senior midfielder Gabriela Demoner scored three goals Thursday afternoon and senior midfielder Kelly Sisco (Hubbardston, Mass.) scored a pair of her own to lead the No. 11 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women’s soccer team to a season-opening, 7-0 victory over Caldwell in non-conference play at the SCSU Owl Classic, hosted by Southern Connecticut State, at Jess Dow Field.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the eighth minute of its season when sophomore forward Amanda Panaro (Rockland, Mass.) struck off a corner kick to give the Ravens a 1-0 lead. Franklin Pierce would push the lead to 2-0 just 2:23 later on an 11th minute goal by Demoner.

Franklin Pierce dominated the opening 45 minutes and enjoyed a 15-2 edge in the shots department in the first half.

The Ravens would break the game wide open in the first 25 minutes of the second half. Demoner found the net again for her second goal of the game in the 53rd minute to extend the Franklin Pierce lead to 3-0. Later, senior midfielder Kelly Sisco (Hubbardston, Mass.) scored to make it 4-0 in the 63rd minute off a feed from junior forward Angelika Johansson.

Just 3:22 later, Demoner completed the hat trick off a corner kick from freshman back Julie Foster (Dennis, Mass.), who tallied her first career point. The hat trick was the fifth of Demoner’s career, and her first since her sophomore season in 2007.

Only 71 seconds later, Johansson struck to push the lead to 6-0 on an assist from senior forward Shannon Mulvey (Worcester, Mass.). The Ravens made it 7-0 in the 71st minute as Sisco netted her second goal of the contest, while an assist was credited to freshman midfielder Emily Lodge (Lyman, Maine) for her first career point.

The Ravens held Caldwell without a shot in the second half while taking 10 of their own to finish the game with a 25-2 advantage. Franklin Pierce also chalked up an 8-1 edge in corners and recorded 17 shots on goal to Caldwell’s two.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jocelyn Leon (Lenox, Mass.) started in goal and picked up the win for Franklin Pierce. She stopped both shots she faced while playing the first 75 minutes.

Junior Lauren Hoenig made 10 saves against 17 shots while taking the loss (0-1-0) between the pipes for Caldwell.

The Ravens return to the pitch Saturday in the second day of the SCSU Owl Classic. Franklin Pierce will face Molloy at 4 p.m. at Jess Dow Field in New Haven.