RINDGE, N.H. (Aug. 30, 2000) - The Franklin Pierce women's soccer team kick off its quest for an unprecedented sixth NCAA Division II championship today when it travels to play a non-conference game against the University of New Haven.

Game time today at Charger Field in West Haven, Conn., is 3 p.m.

The Ravens won their fifth national championship is six years last season and return seven starters from a team that went 20-1 and beat Cal Poly Pomona, 3-1, in the title game. An eighth starter, second-leading scorer Angela Verdoes (Katwijk, Holland), is most likely out of for the season after suffering a knee injury.

Franklin Pierce is one of five schools that will debut in the Northeast-10 Conference this year. The NE-10 released its preseason coaches polls Tuesday and the Ravens were ranked first in women's soccer.