MATTHEWS, N.C. - The Franklin Pierce women's soccer team saw their remarkable postseason run come to an end on Friday evening, as they fell 4-0 to Cal Poly Pomona in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship.
 

Score: Cal Poly Pomona 4, Franklin Pierce 0 

Records: Franklin Pierce (19-4-2, 7-2-1 NE-10), Cal Poly Pomona (21-1-2, 8-1-2 CCAA) 

Location: Matthews, North Carolina

Date: Friday, December 13, 2024 
 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• The Broncos struck first 22:07 into the contest. Graduate midfielder Gianna Derose went in for a slide tackle in the box and committed the penalty, setting up a penalty kick. Angelina Rivas made no mistake and slotted it home in the left corner despite senior goalkeeper Emilie Fox guessing the right direction. The Broncos carried the 1-0 lead into the halftime break. 

• The Broncos tacked onto their lead in the second half. Angelina Rivas added her second goal of the contest 54:17 into the game. She dribbled the ball on the left wing and ripped a shot that rose above the diving reach of Emilie Fox into the cage.  

• The Ravens couldn't contain the Broncos for the remainder of the second half, as they capitalized again 25 minutes later. Tara Oper dished a pass to Vanessa Cruz who fired a shot from just outside the box and tucked it into the left corner of the goal, giving the Broncos the commanding 3-0 lead. 

• The Broncos capped off their dominant performance in the 82nd minute. From the left side, Georgia Rink sent a cross into the box for Tara Oper who tapped it in the left corner of the goal. The Broncos advanced to the national championship with the 4-0 win over the Ravens.  

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS: 

• The Broncos outshot the Ravens 16-6. 

• Emilie Fox suffered the loss in net for the Ravens, recording 5 saves.  

• Each team took 4 corner kicks.  

WRAPPING UP 2024:

• Franklin Pierce won the NCAA Division II East Region title for the second time in three seasons (2022). 
• The Ravens advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship for the first time since 2007. 

Recap provided by Colin Struckman (Franklin Pierce athletic communications)

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 11 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
 
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