Sixth-seeded Ravens to face off against third-seeded Southern N.H. in NE-10 Tournament First Round Tuesday night

RINDGE, N.H. (April 27, 2009) - The Franklin Pierce University women's lacrosse team is set to mark its return to postseason play tomorrow night when the sixth-seeded Ravens visit third-seeded Southern New Hampshire University for first round action of the 2009 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Lacrosse Championships at 7 p.m.

Admission for Tuesday's match will be $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for senior citizens, students and children. Live stats and video of the event will be produced by Southern New Hampshire and linked through their website (www.snhupenmen.com) as well as the Franklin Pierce athletics website (athletics.franklinpierce.edu).

The winner of tomorrow night's match up will advance to this weekend's Northeast-10 women's lacrosse "final four", hosted by top-seeded and regular-season co-champions University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn. The winner will face second-seeded and nine-time defending NE-10 Tournament champions Stonehill College (10-5, 9-1 NE-10), also regular season co-champions, on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Top-seeded New Haven (14-3, 9-1 NE-10) will face the winner of tomorrow's other first round match up between fifth-seeded Bentley University (9-8, 7-3 NE-10) and fourth-seeded Merrimack College (7-7, 7-3 NE-10) in North Andover, Mass., at 4 p.m., on Saturday at 1 p.m. The NE-10 Tournament championship will be played on Sunday at New Haven's Kayo Field at 1 p.m.

Franklin Pierce (7-8, 4-6 NE-10) is making just its second ever postseason appearance tomorrow night and first since 2003, when the then sixth-seeded Ravens were defeated by third seeded Bryant University (19-4) in the first round. This spring, the Ravens have set a new program record for wins, while also matching the program mark for NE-10 wins set during its 2003 postseason campaign. Franklin Pierce has also established team records with 189 goals scored (breaking the previous record of 180 in 2008), assists with 84 (shattering the previous best of 56 in 2008) and 273 points (breaking the previous mark of 236 in 2008).

Franklin Pierce, which saw its first four-game winning streak in program history halted with a loss to fourth-seeded Merrimack College in the regular season finale, enters the postseason winners of four of its last five. The Ravens are ranked sixth in the NE-10 in scoring (12.60 gls/gm) and team goals against average (15.33). They lead the NE-10 with 26.07 ground balls per game, are ranked sixth in draw controls (13.53/gm) and ninth in both turnovers (24.73/gm) and caused turnovers (10.40/gm).

Sophomores Lauren Stille (North Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) and Jordan Baillargeon (Westfield, Mass./Westfield) lead Franklin Pierce's offensive attack, combining for 108 of the Ravens program record 189 goals (57.1-percent) this spring. Stille leads the NE-10 with 4.07 goals per game (3^rd nationally) while her goal total of 61 ranks second and is second only in program history to her record haul of 73 set her freshman season. She has also totaled 12 assists for 73 points (2^nd all-time in program history), ranking fifth among NE-10 leaders with 4.87 points per game (16^th nationally). Her 14 free-position goals this season are good for second among NE-10 leaders. Baillargeon ranks third among NE-10 leaders with 3.13 goals per game (29^th nationally) with her career-best total of 47 goals to go with a program-record 16 assists for a career-high 63 points - ranking sixth in the Conference with 4.20 goals per game. She has also netted a team-best four game-winning goals (2^nd NE-10) and is second on the team with 35 draw controls. 

Sophomore Ashley Moirano (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington) is just one assist behind Baillargeon atop the program's all-time single-season list with 15 helpers so far this year to go with 19 goals for 34 points. Freshman Brianna Nash (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) has contributed 21 goals and seven assists for 28 points in her first collegiate season.

Freshman Jillian Bolduc (Atkinson, N.H./Timberlane) has played all 912-minutes in goal for Franklin Pierce in her first collegiate campaign. She ranks second among NE-10 leaders with 13.73 saves per game (5^th nationally), while also ranking third in save percentage (.469 - 18^th nationally) and fifth in goals against average (15.33). Ravens opponents have converted on just 50-of-145 (34.5%) free-position attempts this season.

Also helping in the defensive cause for Franklin Pierce this season has been senior Kayleigh Jaksina (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex), sophomore Jillian Benn (North Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) and freshman Kimberly Jaksina (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex). Kayleigh Jaksina ranks second among NE-10 leaders with 4.00 ground balls per game (3^rd nationally); totaling a team-best 60 this season to go with a team-high 26 caused turnovers (18^th nationally). Benn has added 55 ground balls, ranking fifth in the NE-10 with 3.53 per game (12^th nationally), 23 caused turnovers and 20 draw controls, while chipping in on offense with a goal and seven assists. Kimberly Jaksina, younger sister of Kayleigh, ranks third among NE-10 leaders with 3.47 draw controls per game (10^th nationally), with her team-high total of 51, to go with 51 ground balls (16^th nationally) and 22 caused turnovers. Jaksina, named to the womenslacrosse.com weekly honor roll on April 20 for her defensive efforts, has also contributed on offense with four goals and four assists.

Southern New Hampshire (11-4, 8-2 NE-10) is making its fourth-straight NE-10 Tournament appearance. The Penmen have advanced to the Conference semifinals three-straight years, reaching the championship game last spring - dropping a 17-10 decision to Stonehill. SNHU ranks third in the Northeast-10 in scoring (14.87 goals/gm) and team goals against average (10.73). The Penmen are ranked second in draw controls (15.87/gm), fourth in ground balls (23.00/gm), tenth in turnovers (24.93/gm) and fourth in caused turnovers (12.87/gm).

Senior Libby Parent (Hinesburg, Vt./Champlain Valley Union) leads Southern New Hampshire with 36 goals to go with 17 assists for 53 points to share the team point lead with classmate Jennifer Parro (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) who has dished a team-best 37 assists (2^nd NE-10) to go with 16 goals. Senior Maura Murphy (Candia, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) has contributed 29 goals and 18 assists for 47 points, while freshman Emily Mongeau (Westborough, Mass./Westborough) has added 31 goals and three assists for 34 points. Mongeau leads the team with 49 draw controls, while also ranking among team leaders with 32 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers.

Senior Julie Kraus (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) leads the Penmen defensive unit with 54 ground balls and 36 caused turnovers to go with 34 draw controls, while adding seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points on offense.

Senior Katie Clark (Norwich, Conn./St. Bernard) and freshman Hannah Moriarty (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) have split time in goal this season for SNHU. Clark has started ten of the Penmen's 15 games, posting a 10.78 goals against average and .383 save percentage while averaging 4.8 saves per game over 512:08. Moriarty has started five of her 12 games played and posted a 10.66 GAA and .449 save percentage, averaging 4.8 saves in 393:52.

Tuesday night will mark the seventh meeting all-time between these two programs, the first in postseason play. Southern New Hampshire holds a 5-1 advantage in the all-time series, having won each of the last five encounters including a 17-16 overtime victory at Franklin Pierce's Sodexo Field during the regular season on April 7.

Senior attack Laura Rotolo (Waltham, Mass./Waltham) scored the deciding goal 1:12 into overtime and was one of three Southern New Hampshire players with three goals on the night. Kraus and Parro each led SNHU with five points, with Kraus posting a goal and four assists and Parro dishing a team-best five assists. Stille and Baillargeon led Franklin Pierce with five points apiece. Stille scored a game-high five goals, while Baillargeon finished with four goals and an assist. Bolduc made 14 saves in goal for the Ravens, including eight in the second half to help the Ravens reach overtime.       

2009 Northeast-10 Women's Lacrosse Championships

First Round
Tuesday, April 27 (at higher seeds)
Game 1: #5 Bentley (9-8, 7-3 NE-10) at #4 Merrimack (7-7, 7-3 NE-10), 4 p.m.
Game 2: #6 Franklin Pierce (7-8, 4-6 NE-10) at #3 Southern New Hampshire (11-4, 8-2 NE-10), 7 p.m.

Semifinals
Saturday, May 2 (hosted by University of New Haven)
Game 4: Game 1 winner at #1 New Haven (14-3, 9-1 NE-10), 1 p.m.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. #2 Stonehill (10-5, 9-1 NE-10), 3:30 p.m.

Championship
Sunday, May 3 (hosted by University of New Haven)
Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1 p.m.