Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
MSOC Semifinals vs. FPU
2
St. Anselm STA (6-8-2, 4-4-1)
3
Winner Franklin Pierce Ravens (16-0-1, 11-0-0)
St. Anselm STA
(6-8-2, 4-4-1)
2
Final
3
Franklin Pierce Ravens
(16-0-1, 11-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
St. Anselm STA 0 2 2
Franklin Pierce Ravens 2 1 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Season Comes to a Close for Men's Soccer in NE10 Semifinals

RINDGE, N.H. - The Saint Anselm College men's soccer team saw its season come to a close on Thursday evening in the Northeast-10 Conference Semifinals with a 3-2 loss at the hands of nationally-ranked No. 1 Franklin Pierce University.
 

Score: Saint Anselm 2, No. 1 Franklin Pierce 3
Records: Saint Anselm (6-9-3, 1-1 Northeast-10 postseason); No. 1 Franklin Pierce (16-0-1, 1-0-1 Northeast-10 postseason)
Location: Rindge, N.H. (Sodexo Field)
Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023
Attendance: 120
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • Franklin Pierce started the game with a flurry of attacking chances in and around the Saint Anselm penalty box. In the fourth minute, a dangerous ball was played across the face of goal for Alvaro Rey Mira, but his one-touch shot from close-range was sent high over the cross bar. The Ravens did not take their foot off the gas and forced Hawks sophomore goalkeeper David Hood (Manchester, N.H.) to make three difficult saves over the next eight minutes of action.
  • In the 13th minute, Hood came charging out for a loose ball at the top of the box, but took down Ravens forward Younes Addar Khanoussi and a penalty kick was awarded. Aaron Sanchez Sanchez converted the shot to give Franklin Pierce the early 1-0 lead.
  • In the 21st minute, Caleb Williams created separation after a great showcase of skill in the middle of the field and ripped a shot from distance for the Ravens that clanged off the inside of the right post before being cleared away.
  • Franklin Pierce continued to create dangerous chances with deep services into the box. The Ravens found the back of the net to double their lead less than five miutes before halftime when Pedro Branco whipped in a cross that found Rey Mira, who elevated and finished a header to put his side ahead, 2-0.
  • Saint Anselm got their best look of the half with little time remaining. After a corner kick followed by a scramble in the Franklin Pierce box, sophomore Estevão Gouveia (Nashua, N.H.) put a right-footed shot towards goal that just missed the target off to the right.
  • The tides began to turn in the second half as the Hawks came out of halftime with a surge. Senior Zach Verow (Bedford, N.H.) tested Ravens goalkeeper Diego Montoya Casillas immediately with a shot on goal that was saved four minutes into the second frame.
  • Saint Anselm kept increasing their pressure and had success getting through the Franklin Pierce back line, which resulted in the third goal of the season for junior Caden Leader (Durham, N.H.) to make it a 2-1 game in the 72nd minute. Senior Josue Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo) won control of the ball around midfield and played a quick give-and-go with his brother, junior Samuel Assantha (Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo), before clipping a pass over the Ravens defense. Leader chested the ball down to himself before taking a right-footed strike that found the back of the net to cut the Franklin Pierce lead in half.
  • Josue Assantha got a great look at goal just two minutes later, but his attempt for the equalizer was pulled and missed to the left of goal.
  • In the 82nd minute, Antonio Lampreia Lima got free on a breakaway for the Ravens following a giveaway in the back by the Hawks. Lima capitalized on the mistake to provide his side with a much-needed insurance goal to increase the lead to 3-1.
  • Just when the game looked to be over, Saint Anselm responded with another goal in the 88th minute to cut the deficit back to one. Samuel Assantha curled in a corner kick that found freshman Yves Maurer (Munich, Germany) open at the top of the box. Maurer one-timed a volley out of mid-air that found the bottom left corner to make it a 3-2 game. The goal was Maurer's first collegiate tally.
  • However, the Hawks were not able to create one final push forward as the Ravens held on for the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
  • Franklin Pierce fired 18 shots compared to six for Saint Anselm. The Ravens also held an eight to four advantage in shots on goal.
  • The Ravens attempted seven corner kicks in the match, while the Hawks attempted six.
  • Leader scored his third goal of the season for the Hawks, which is tied for the team lead. Maurer notched his first goal of the season and first of his career. Samuel Assantha recorded assists on both goals, giving him a team-leading six for the season, while Josue Assantha added an assist on the first Hawks goal to put him at three for the year.
  • Hood recorded five saves in goal for Saint Anselm, while Montoya Casillas made two saves for Franklin Pierce.
  • This marked the 47th all-time meeting between Saint Anselm and Franklin Pierce, with the Hawks falling to a 13-32-2 record overall against the Ravens.
  • Franklin Pierce advances to the NE10 Championship game and will host seventh-seeded Southern New Hampshire University on Sunday, November 12.

STAY CONNECTED:
Print Friendly Version