Women's soccer loses NE-10 championship match in penalty kicks

The Franklin Pierce Ravens women's soccer program found itself in a situation that seemed all too familiar. The Lady Ravens, ranked #13 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Division II poll and #1 in the Northeast-10 Conference, lost the 2008 Northeast-10 Conference Championship to the #2 ranked College of Saint Rose Golden Knights on Sunday at Sodexho Field in penalty kicks. The Lady Ravens lost a national title to University of Tampa in the same fashion just last season.

Much like the semifinal match against Southern Connecticut State University, the Ravens fell behind 1-0 early in the second half. Kailey Egbert netted the Golden Knights only goal of the match on a header off a corner kick from Christina Cuffari. The Lady Ravens waited until the 83:51 mark to equal the score, as sophomore All-American Angelika Johansson scored in a low shot from the left channel, after receiving a pass from junior standout Gabriela Demoner.

It was all for naught however, as the Ravens couldn't convert in two 10-minute overtime periods and missed one of their penalty kicks. Golden Knights goalkeeper Shannon Murphy made a great diving stop on the Ravens' second attempt taken by Michelle Santos.

The Ravens didn't look sharp for most of the match, as the Golden Knights converted mistakes into scoring opportunities all game long.

"We played very poorly in the first half," said head coach Jeff Bailey. "I think it was one of the worst halves we've played all season."

Normally calm, cool and collected on the sideline during women's soccer matches, Bailey was visibly frustrated at times during the championship match. "We're making a lot of the same mistakes," Bailey said. "The same mistakes, the same people. We're getting to the point where there are no second chances."

Bailey conveyed that he and the team are looking forward to Monday night when the program will learn their seeding for the upcoming regional tournament. Even though the Golden Knights were crowned NE-10 champions, one might assume the Ravens would remain a higher seed in the region over The College of Saint Rose because of the 1-1 tie at the end of regulation and overtime periods.

Lady Ravens shock SCSU Owls with last second goal

The Franklin Pierce Ravens women's soccer program earned a last-second 2-1 victory over the Southern Connecticut State University Owls in a Northeast-10 Conference Championship semifinal match on Thursday, November 6, 2008.

The Owls broke a scoreless tie at the 19:32 mark when Gina DellaRose netted her 5th goal of the year. It seemed as though the Ravens were in route to taking an early exit from the NE-10 tournament, when Rachel Smith broke free on the right side, driving home a pass from Angelika Johansson from about 18 yards out. Both teams feverishly attempted to penetrate the opposition's territory for one last offensive rush, but to no avail. With the final seconds counting down, Owl's goalkeeper Katie Didio ventured approximately 25 yards out off the goal line to send a dropkick to midfield. Junior midfielder Gabriela Demoner settled the ball at her feet, saw that Didio was out of position, and sent a high, arcing volley from midfield that bounced just in front of the goal line before rippling the twine with one second remaining in regulation. The Ravens advance to the Northeast-10 Women's Soccer Championship match on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 1 p.m.

Women's soccer hammers St. Anselm College 5-0 in NE-10 quarterfinal

The Lady Ravens women's soccer program kicked off their postseason campaign with a bang on Sunday, November 2, 2008 at Sodexho Field, defeating Saint Anselm College by a score of 5-0. The Ravens scored five times on twenty shots, including four goals from sophomore All-American Angelika Johansson. In a feel good story, true freshman forward Amanda Panaro returned to action following a scary moment just a few short weeks ago. Panaro became ill during a Ravens regular season match and collapsed, and had to be transported to a local hospital. Panaro appeared in her first collegiate postseason match on Sunday, and netted her first collegiate playoff goal, as well. In addition, senior midfielder Kristen Cilley tallied two assists, getting helpers on Johansson's first two goals of the match. The Ravens move on to the Northeast-10 Conference semifinals, and will host Southern Connecticut State University at Sodexho Field on Thursday, November 6, 2008.