Second-seeded Ravens to face No. 3 UMass Lowell on Friday; Top-seeded Southern Connecticut State to host New England Regional

RINDGE, N.H. (November 8, 2004) - The Franklin Pierce men's soccer team has been given new life as it received the tenth NCAA Division II Tournament berth in program history in an announcement made by the NCAA Division II selection committee tonight.

Franklin Pierce (15-5-1) was named the No. 2 seed in the tournament by the selection committee and will battle third-seeded and No. 19-ranked UMass Lowell (15-2-2) in a first round match at this week's NCAA New England Regional Tournament on Friday at a time to be determined. Top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Southern Connecticut State University (15-1-3) will host the regional and face the winner of Friday's match on Sunday in the regional title match at 1 p.m.

Franklin Pierce, which will be making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and tenth overall, advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Championship match for the first time since joining the league in 2000 before falling to UMass Lowell in the ninth round of a penalty shootout, 6-5, yesterday after the two sides played to a 0-0 draw.

Franklin Pierce was under the impression heading into Sunday's match with the River Hawks that they needed to win the match in order to have a shot at a bid, but received new life when selection criteria such as strength of schedule weighed in their favor. The Ravens have also been in peak form of late, closing the season with a 9-1-1 clip over their last 11 matches, with the lone loss a narrow 3-2 defeat to Southern Connecticut in the regular season, outscoring the opposition, 21-3, in that span and posting ten shutouts.                    

The winner of this weekend's New England Regional will advance to the NCAA Quarterfinal Round and will face the winner of the Northeast Regional. That regional is hosted by top-seeded Dowling College, with Lock Haven University and California University of Pennsylvania also earning bids. 

2004 NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT
NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
November 12 & 14, New Haven, Conn.  

Friday, November 12
#3 UMass Lowell (15-2-2) vs. #2 Franklin Pierce (15-5-1), Time TBA  

Sunday, November 14
Friday winner at #1 Southern Connecticut State University (15-1-3), 1 p.m.