Men's Soccer
RINDGE, N.H. (November 8, 2007) - Top-seeded Franklin Pierce University, ranked fourth in the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II coaches' poll, scored four times in the second half to roll to a 5-0 victory over fourth-seeded Le Moyne College in first round action of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer New England Regional Championship at Sodexho Field tonight.
Franklin Pierce (14-2-3) advances to its fourth-straight New England Region Championship match where it will face third-seeded and No. 12-ranked University of Massachusetts Lowell (12-3-4) on Saturday at 7 p.m. The River Hawks advanced past second-seeded and 21st-ranked Southern Connecticut State University (14-2-5) in a penalty kick shootout (3-2) after the two sides played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw. Le Moyne (14-4-2) was making its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and second in three seasons.
Grad student David Clifton (London, England), the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, scored three goals for Franklin Pierce tonight, while freshman back Adit Phataraprasit (Bangkok, Thailand) recorded his first career multi-point outing with a goal and two assists for four points. The Ravens also got a goal from sophomore Henning Comé (Göteborg, Sweden).
Senior All-America goalkeeper James Thorpe (East Longmeadow, Mass./Bridgton Academy) made two saves to preserve his tenth shutout of the season (47th career) for Franklin Pierce. Junior Steve White (Cortland, N.Y./Cortland) finished with six saves for Le Moyne.
Franklin Pierce opened the scoring 8:21 into the match, when Phataraprasit got on the end of a corner kick from senior Mike Lima (Ludlow, Mass./Ludlow) and headed it into the left side of the net for his first collegiate goal. The Ravens doubled its lead 4:28 into the second half when Clifton was hauled down on the left side of the penalty area by a Le Moyne defender and was granted a penalty kick. He got White to commit to the left side and calmly slotted the kick into the right side of the net.
Comé netted Franklin Pierce's third goal when he took a through ball from midfield by Phataraprasit, deked White and a Dolphins defender before slotting his shot into an open net in the 61st minute. Clifton scored Franklin Pierce's final two goals to round out his hat trick. He first took a long pass over the top of the Le Moyne defense from Phataraprasit, chipped the ball over White and then touched the ball into the open net in the 81st minute. Clifton finished the scoring in the 86th minute when he gathered a defensive turnover, deked the goalkeeper, and slotted a low shot into the left side of the open net.
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Le Moyne............ 0 0 - 0
Franklin Pierce..... 1 4 - 5
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 8:21 FPU Adit Phataraprasit (1) (Mike Lima) - far post header
off corner kick
2. 49:28 FPU David Clifton Penalty kick
3. 60:56 FPU Henning Come (16) (Adit Phataraprasit) - nice through
ball from halfway line in 1v1, one touch past GK to shot
4. 80:21 FPU David Clifton (18) (Adit Phataraprasit) - long ball
from half way line in 1v1, chips over keeper and then touch
5. 85:23 FPU David Clifton (19) (unassisted) - defensive turnover,
deke GK , slots low shot into left side of net
Shots: Le Moyne 4, Franklin Pierce 16
Saves: Le Moyne 7 (Steve White 6; Team 1), Franklin Pierce 2
(James
Thorpe 2)
2007 NCAA Division II Tournament
New England Regional
All-Tournament Team
Ancil Farrier, Southern Connecticut State University
Mark Lukowiecki, Le Moyne College
Ryan Richards, UMass Lowell
Edens Chery, UMass Lowell
Jamie Wangia, UMass Lowell
Matias Pietropinto, UMass Lowell
Mike Lima, Franklin Pierce University
Frantz Francois, Franklin Pierce University
James Thorpe, Franklin Pierce University
Most Outstanding Defensive Player:
Adit Phataraprasit, Franklin Pierce University
Most Outstanding Offensive Player:
David Clifton, Franklin Pierce University
