ALBANY – The College of Saint Rose kept its perfect season intact with an impressive 2-0 victory against visiting Northeast-10 Conference rival Franklin Pierce today. The match featured two nationally ranked teams with the host Golden Knights (13-/10-0 NE-10) and Ravens (11-3/9-2 NE-10) coming in at #2 and #12 respectively according to this week's
NSCAA/Adidas Division II Poll.
Saint Rose scored in each half, but more importantly kept the nation's third most prolific offense off the scoreboard on the way to its ninth shutout of the season. Franklin Pierce produced 54 goals throughout its first 13 games and outscored its opponents by a 38-3 margin during a nine-game win streak that the Golden Knights brought to a close.
Sophomore midfielder
Kimberly Morton scored what held up as the game-winner in the 25th minute and then freshman forward
Carly Pengelly added an insurance marker in the 75th minute.
Saint Rose used some deft quick touches to deliver the first tally. Sophomore midfielder
Brittany Godin fed a pass from the right side that sophomore forward
Derith Fernandes collected in the box and redirected to Morton who found the back of the net for her third marker of the year. In the second half, junior midfielder
Amanda Schweers delivered a pass in the box to Pengelly who slipped a shot inside the lower left post to make it 2-0. It also represented Pengelly's first collegiate goal.
Saint Rose almost broke it wide open in the final 11 minutes. Freshman midfielder
Jennifer Mansfield dove for a header that sailed just over the crossbar in the 79th minute. Junior midfielder
Amanda Deck then rifled a shot that rattled off the left post four minutes later.
In goal, sophomore
Susan Cowan was called upon to record two saves throughout the opening 78:02 as the Golden Knights outshot the Ravens by a 19-5 margin, including a 12-2 differential in the second half. Senior
Shannon Murphy did not need to make a stop the rest of the way. Meanwhile, freshman Casey Edward recorded four of her six saves during the second stanza for the Ravens.
Up next, Saint Rose hits the road Wednesday for a 7:00 pm league match at American International in Springfield. The Ravens return home Wednesday for a key 6:00 pm date versus Merrimack.
Box Score
