Ackermann

Shepherd had taken nine shots and Franklin Pierce only two, as the first 45 minutes remained scoreless.

Halftime saw the teams retreat from the cold and reform their game plans.

Nobody could envision how different the overall play would be in the second half. The Ravens were no longer scrambling to keep up with the Shepherd combination of Carrera, Ackermann and Moore. That threesome would rarely find any of the techniques they had used to dominate the first half — their speed, quickness, ball control and tempo management — to work again.

It was Franklin Pierce exerting its will on the game. It was Franklin Pierce challenging the Shepherd goal, while controlling the action. And it was the Ravens getting the game’s first two goals . . . and finally winning, 2-1, to advance to the NCAA Division II national semifinals this weekend in North Carolina.

Beezel

Shepherd’s fading chances saw them trail 2-1, even after Josie Beezel scored with just 8:15 remaining to play.

The Ravens never scored again, but Shepherd’s only real threat didn’t come until just about 25 seconds were left when a hurried shot from in front didn’t find the intended goal.

Franklin Pierce scored first on a corner kick situation, where Jenni Huttunen dribbled toward the left side of the goal and only the Ravens’ fourth shot of the game found the upper left corner of the net. It was 1-0. And the second half’s pace, ball control and confidence level had reached the heights achieved by the Rams in the opening half. An earlier Franklin Pierce second-half shot had bounded off the side of the net and missed, as the score remained at 0-0.

Just minutes after its initial goal, the Ravens were right back searching for more distance between themselves and now hard-pressed visitors.

Shepherd was assessed a foul. And a penalty shot from in close was awarded. Huttunen attempted the penalty kick, although she wasn’t the player fouled. She converted the kick, again to the left side of the goal.

Carrera

With 14:29 remaining (in the 75th minute), Franklin Pierce had achieved not only control of the tempo, but also control of the scoreboard and waning clock, with its 2-0 lead.

Shepherd maintained only its edge in shots attempted, finishing with 16 to the Ravens’ eight.

The loss in the national quarterfinals left the Rams with an 18-2-4 record for the high-water season. Franklin Pierce will carry a 19-3-2 record into the national semifinals.

Moore