BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — Franklin Pierce dominated Southern Conn. St. 4-2 on Sunday, extending their winning streak to three consecutive matches. The visiting Ravens, ranked among regional powerhouses in NCAA Division II, showcased offensive firepower and defensive resilience to secure the victory on the road.
Shi Reeves opened the scoring for Southern Conn. St. in the 18th minute, assisted by Nicky Deslauriers, giving the home team an early advantage. Elizabeth Bishop doubled the lead in the 35th minute with another Deslauriers assist, putting the Owls ahead 2-0 at halftime. However, Franklin Pierce's second-half adjustments proved decisive. Maddie Fitzgerald pulled one back in the 66th minute, assisted by Claudia Peirce, sparking the Ravens' comeback. Makenzie Shean equalized in the 73rd minute with help from Samantha Breton, then added the go-ahead goal in the 84th minute. Kaitlyn Bautista sealed the victory with an 81st-minute strike, assisted by Shean, giving Franklin Pierce their fourth goal of the match.
The first half belonged to Southern Conn. St., who controlled possession and created early scoring opportunities. The Owls' defensive organization limited Franklin Pierce's attacking options, though the Ravens generated chances through Claudia Peirce and Makenzie Shean. Southern Conn. St.'s two