RINDGE, N.H. (November 7, 2001) - The Franklin Pierce (20-0) women's soccer team, ranked No. 1 in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division II poll, will host No. 13 Merrimack College (19-3) in Saturday's NCAA Division II New England Regional Championship match at Crystal Field at 1 p.m.

Admission to Saturday's match is $6 for adults, $4 for students and $1 for children 12 and under.

The Ravens received a bye in the first round as the top-seed in the region, while Merrimack needed two overtimes to defeat third-seeded Bryant College in North Andover, Mass., this afternoon.

After Bryant took a 2-0 lead with two goals 79-seconds apart midway throught the first half, Merrimack chipped away with single goals in the first and second half. Senior Rachel McCarthy netted the gamewinner in the 111th minute of play to pull out the win. Juniors Patty Cronin and Erin Nowak recorded the Warriors other markers.

Franklin Pierce is coming off a 2-0 win over Merrimack in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship match on Sunday in New Haven, Conn. The victory was the 20th of the year for the Ravens, marking the fourth time in the last five years and sixth time in program history they have reached the 20-win plateau. A win on Saturday would match the school-record for wins in a season accomplished in 1997 and '98.

Franklin Pierce will begin its quest for an NCAA Division II record sixth national title on Saturday. However, just one of the Ravens five titles have come in the last three years after they claimed four-straight titles from 1994-97. Franklin Pierce has advanced to the NCAA semifinals nine-straight seasons entering this year's tournament.

Franklin Pierce is led on offense by 2001 Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Patricia Keeldar (Amsterdam, Holland/Ter Leede), who leads the League with 67 points and 29 goals to go along with nine assists. Juniors Angela Verdoes (Katwijk Aan Zee, Holland/Ter Leede) and April Mann (Brisbane, Australia/Saint Thomas More) rank right behind Keeldar among NE-10 scoring leaders with 47 and 44 points, respectively. Verdoes has dished a team-best 15 assists, which ranks second in the Conference, to go along with 16 goals. Mann has added 16 goals and 12 assists, both of which rank among NE-10 leaders.

Grad student Kim Higgins (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) leads all Northeast-10 goalkeepers with a miniscule 0.39 goals against average, yielding just four goals in 931 minutes played. She has posted an 11-0 record with a .846 save percentage and seven shutouts this season.

Higgins earned NE-10 Co-Player of the Week honors on Monday after she recorded three-straight shutouts in goal for the Ravens in NE-10 Tournament action last week. She came up particularly huge in Sunday's Championship Match as she recorded four saves, including a pair early to keep Merrimack off the board. Higgins enters the NCAA Tournament boasting a string of 447 scoreless minutes.

Merrimack is led on offense by McCarthy's 43 points on 17 goals and 11 assists, while sophomore Lindsay Bruno has totaled 33 points (14 gls, 5 asts).

The Warriors defense is backboned by senior Alison Skoglund, the NE-10 Goalkeeper of the Year, who sports a 0.97 goals against average and a Conference-best .867 save percentage with six shutouts this season.

Franklin Pierce and Merrimack have met in NCAA Tournament play two previous times. The Ravens claimed wins over the Warriors in 1996 (4-0) and 1999 (3-1). Franklin Pierce holds a 17-2 advantage in the all-time series and have won 14-straight meetings dating back to a 2-0 Merrimack win in 1991.

The winner of Saturday's NCAA New England Regional Championship will advance to face the winner of the Northeast Regional, hosted by top-seeded Lock Haven University this weekend. The NCAA Quarterfinal match will be played on Saturday, November 17, at a site to be announced on Monday. Lock Haven (17-3) will face third-seeded Slippery Rock University (14-4) on Saturday.

2001 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship

New England Regional
Wednesday, November 7:
#2 Merrimack 3, #3 Bryant 2 - 2OT

Saturday, November 10:
#2 Merrimack at #1 Franklin Pierce College, 1 p.m.

NCAA Quarterfinal
Saturday, November 17:
Merrimack/FP
winner vs. Slippery Rock/Lock Haven winner, time TBA

NCAA Semifinal:
Friday, November 30

NCAA Division II Championship:
Sunday, December 2