Top-seeded Ravens earn record 13th-straight NCAA Tournament bid

RINDGE, N.H. (November 8, 2004) - Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II women's soccer poll, earned a record 13^th-consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament berth and will host the 2004 NCAA New England Regional Tournament to be held on campus Friday, November 12, and Sunday, November 14. The NCAA Division II selection committee made the announcement today at 5 p.m.

Franklin Pierce (18-1) was awarded the top seed in the New England Region and will host No. 21-ranked Assumption College (14-5), No. 15 Merrimack College (15-4-1) and the College of Saint Rose (13-4-2) in the New England Regional Tournament this weekend.

Assumption and Merrimack will open the weekend event with their regional semifinal on Friday at 5 p.m., while the Ravens will host Saint Rose in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. The New England Regional Champion will be crowned on Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner of the regional will advance to the NCAA quarterfinal round to face the winner of the Northeast Regional on Saturday or Sunday, November 20-21.

Franklin Pierce, which captured the Northeast-10 Conference's regular season and tournament titles for the fourth-straight year, begins its quest for a record 13^th-straight trip to the Final Four and a possible record sixth National Championship. The Ravens won their Conference record matching fifth Tournament title on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over Assumption. Franklin Pierce has never lost a home match in postseason play, carrying a 24-0 clip in home playoff matches into the weekend. The Ravens are 17-0 all-time at home in NCAA Tournament play.

Franklin Pierce's high-powered offense, which is clicking at a Northeast-10 leading 3.42 goals per match, is led by a trio of All-America candidates in senior Meghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) and juniors Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) and Sonya Hughes (Balbriggan, Ireland). The Ravens are also the top defensive team in the Conference, yielding an NE-10 low ten goals this season (0.53/match).

Hislop, the reigning Division II Player of the Year, leads the Northeast-10 in goals (29), assists (12) and points (70) for the second-straight season. She has also totaled five match-winning goals (third NE-10) and three hat tricks. Hislop, who has played a role in 41 of the Ravens 65 goals this fall, has scored a goal in each of her last 11 matches played for the Ravens and totaled a point in all 17 matches.

Welcome, a two-time All-American, ranks second to Hislop on the team with 35 points (4^th NE-10) and 15 goals (4^th) to go with five assists. She shares the team lead with five match-winning goals and has matched the program's career record for match-winners with 26.

Hughes, an All-Region selection in 2003, shares the Conference lead with Hislop having dished 12 assists to go with nine goals for 30 points (5^th NE-10). She also ranks third on the team with four match-winning goals.

Freshman Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) and sophomore Linnea Authier (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow) have split the goalkeeping chores for the Ravens this season. Mello leads the NE-10 with a 0.51 goals against average to go with a .800 save percentage (6^th) and six shutouts (2^nd) in just under 1,067 minute of play. Authier has played just over 643 minutes and sports a 0.56 GAA and .846 save percentage with three shutouts.

Assumption has earned its first NCAA Tournament berth in program history with a strong defensive effort, anchored by freshman goalkeeper Lauren Matysiak (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional) and senior back Ali Reyell (Worcester, Mass./Doherty). The Greyhounds rank second to Franklin Pierce with a 0.73 team goals against average, having totaled a Conference-best 12 shutouts.

Matysiak ranks second in the NE-10 with a 0.77 goals against average with a Conference-best ten shutouts and .818 save percentage (4^th).

Assumption is led on offense by juniors Andrea Marcoccio (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) and Erin Faucher (North Grosvenordale, Conn./Tourtelotte). Marcoccio has played a role in 17 of the Greyhounds 33 goals scored this season with 12 goals (5^th NE-10) and five assists for 29 points (6^th). Faucher has tallied seven goals and six assists for 20 points.

Merrimack, which has earned its sixth NCAA Tournament bid, has the distinction of posting the lone defeat against Franklin Pierce this season. The Warriors rank second to the Ravens in scoring in the NE-10, averaging 3.40 goals per match, while posting a 0.84 team goals against average (4^th NE-10).

Senior Laurie Lamoureaux (Leicester, Mass./Leicester) leads Merrimack this season with eight goals and 11 assists (2^nd NE-10) for 27 points (8^th). Shannon Dowling (Malden, Mass./Pope John XXIII), having started just seven of the Warriors 20 matches, is second with nine goals and six assists for 24 points. Freshman Hillary McGarr (North Dighton, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth), who netted the match-winning goal in the 2-1 upset victory of the then top-ranked Ravens on September 29, has chipped in eight goals and six assists for 19 points.

Freshman Shannon Rowan (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson Fair Haven) has seen the majority of minutes in goal for the Warriors and boasts a 0.84 GAA (4^th NE-10) and .857 save percentage (2^nd) with four shutouts (6^th) this season.

Saint Rose has earned a third-straight NCAA Tournament bid and looks to improve on its trip to the New England Regional title match a year ago. The Golden Knights are ranked seventh in the NE-10 in scoring (1.95 goals per match) and goals against per match (1.08).

Senior Renae Ransdell (Richland, Wash./Richland) leads Saint Rose with 16 goals (3^rd NE-10), five assists and 37 points (3^rd). She has netted a Conference-best eight match-winning goals this season.

Junior goalkeeper Kat Marasia (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) has seen the majority of work in goal for the Golden Knights and has posted a 1.12 goals against average (8^th NE-10) with four shutouts (9^th).

The winner of this weekend's New England Regional will face the winner out of the Northeast Region, hosted by Southampton Campus of Long Island University, with Adelphi University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and West Chester University also receiving invitations from that region today.

2004 NCAA Division II Tournament
New England Region Championship
November, 12 & 14, Rindge, N.H.  

Friday, November 12
Merrimack College (15-4-1) vs. Assumption College (14-5), 5 p.m.
College of Saint Rose (13-4-2) at Franklin Pierce (18-1), 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 14
Friday winners, 1 p.m.