Former B-R star still shutting them down

By John Quattrucci

RAYNHAM - The Franklin Pierce (NH) womens soccer team recently fell short in its bid to win a sixth National Championship. The Ravens lost, 3-1, to the University of Tampa on penalty kicks after the two sides had played to a scoreless double-overtime draw Saturday at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Franklin Pierce (18-2-5) entered the tournament ranked 16th nationally but battled through a tough field to reach the championship game. The Ravens run included a 2-0 shutout of undefeated, second-ranked Seattle Pacific in the semifinal game.

The Ravens were carried into the tournament by a defense that ranked eighth in the country with a 0.50 goals against average.

Bridgewater-Raynham graduate (’07) Kelly Weygand anchored this stingy defensive unit.
Weygand, a true freshman, was selected as second team All-Region this season.

“It comes as no surprise that she’s having such a fantastic year,” said Caroline Settino, Weygand’s coach at Bridgewater-Raynham. “She started for me as a freshman. She’s a terrific young athlete.”

Weygand was captain of Settino’s terrific ‘06 team, which won the Old Colony League title.
“She was my captain last season,” Settino said. “She was leader on the field and off. She was an OCL All-Star, All-Scholastic and Brockton Enterprise All Scholastic.”

Weygand has continued garnering awards in college, copping freshman of the week honors Nov. 12 after totaling three assists and leading the Franklin Pierce defense to pair of shutouts in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The Ravens ranked sixth nationally this season with 15 total shutouts.

The Franklin Pierce defense, strong all season, really turned it on in the tournament. The Ravens did not give up a goal in eight postseason matches (760 minutes), including 560 minutes in six NCAA Tournament contests.

“Our whole defense is playing well,” Franklin Pierce head coach Jeff Bailey said. “Kelley was a big part of our defensive success. She has had a great year. She’s very composed, very strong in the air. She’s a very good passer.”

In addition to playing solid defense, Weygand collected her sixth assist of the season and fourth of the tournament in the semifinal match with Seattle Pacific.

“They were a very tough defense,” Pacific coach Chuck Sekyra. “I never felt like we got behind them. They did a great job of keeping us in front of them.”

Both Bailey and Settino agreed that aside from her obvious physical skills, Weygand has a keen mind for the game as well.

“The thing I loved about her the most was that she had great stopper sense,” Settino said. “She knew how to change up the field when it needed to be done. She could change the course of the game with one kick.”

Weygand’s sister Ally, a junior mid-fielder, was a key part of Bridgewater-Raynham’s Old Colony League championship squad this past season.

“She’ll be my captain next year,” Settino said. “Hopefully she follows in her sister’s footsteps. She’s just as competitive and skilled as Kelly. She’s a leader on the field. I’m looking forward to seeing her play next season.”

The Franklin Pierce women’s soccer program has a great tradition, winning National Titles in ’94, ’95, ’96, ’97 and ’99. After a strong freshman season, Weygand will be a part of that tradition for three more years.

“She’s young,” Bailey said. “But she’s already played in some very big games. Her future looks bright.”