Ravens set to face Final Four newcomer in its record 11th consecutive Final Four

RINDGE, N.H. (December 2, 2002) - Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 4 in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, will face No. 3-ranked University of Nebraska-Omaha in semifinal round action of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship on Friday, December 6, at 5 p.m. The Final Four is hosted by Longwood College and will be played at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, Va.

The winner of Friday's match will advance to Sunday's National Championship contest and will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between No. 2 Christian Brothers University (20-1) and No. 9 Metro State University (20-2-2) at 3 p.m.

Friday will mark the first-ever meeting between Franklin Pierce (18-0-2) and Nebraska-Omaha (21-0). The Ravens are making their Division II-record 11th straight Final Four appearance this week, while the Mavericks are making their first appearance in the program's brief four-year history.

Franklin Pierce, in search of a record sixth National Championship, advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 victory at No. 10 Adelphi University on Sunday, November 24. Senior All-American Angela Verdoes (Katwijk Aan Zee, Holland) netted the match-winning goal in the 68th minute to lift the Ravens to victory. Sophomore Martta Makila (Vantaa, Finland) opened the scoring in the fifth minute when she headed in a cross from senior Andrea Caesar (Visby, Sweden). Adelphi knotted the score just before the intermission to set the stage for Verdoes' deciding marker.

Franklin Pierce topped No. 12 Merrimack College, 2-1 in overtime, in the New England Regional Final at Crystal Field. SophomoreMeghan Welcome (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) netted the match-winner just 8:09 into the first overtime session, while Makila equalized the match in the 59th minute after the Warriors had opened the scoring in the 21st.

Verdoes (one goal, two assists) and Makila (two goals) lead the Ravens in NCAA Tournament play with four points apiece. Welcome, the 2002 Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, had totaled a Conference-best 46 points and 20 goals (eight match-winners) with six assists this fall. She has set a new single-season record at the College for points in a season by a US-born player, surpassing the previous mark of 40 set by Beth Ondrick in 1990.

Verdoes, a four-time All-Conference and three-time All-New England selection, is second on the team with 27 points, netting 11 goals and dishing five assists, along with senior Anumari Ylesmaki (Vantaa, Finland), a Verizon District I Academic All-American, who has totaled ten goals and seven helpers. Caesar, a first team Verizon District I Academic All-American, has added 25 points, dishing a Conference-high 13 assists to go along with six goals. Senior Kamille Rosenfalck (Borup, Denmark), an NCAA All-Tournament team selection last year, has chipped in 11 points with a goal and nine helpers.

While the Ravens offense leads the region in scoring (3.35 goals per match), the defense also leads the Conference and ranks in the top five nationally, having yielded just nine goals (0.45/match) this season. Franklin Pierce opened the season with a school-record six consecutive shutouts and has not allowed more than one goal in a match yet this fall.

Senior Nicole Cheadle (West Chester, Pa./Henderson), the 2002 NE-10 Defensive Player of the Year, anchors the Ravens backline along with Makila and juniors Alison Considine (Needham, Mass./Needham) and Alana Sullivan (Dorchester, Mass./Mitchell College).

Cheadle has also added some offense with nine points on four goals (two match-winners) and an assist. She netted both Franklin Pierce markers in its 2-1 NE-10 Championship game victory over Merrimack on November 3. Makila has added three goals and an assist this fall.

The beneficiary of the strong back line is junior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen, Norway), who leads the NE-10 and ranks 11th nationally with a 0.48 goals against average to go along with an .824 save percentage and eight shutouts in her first season in Rindge since transferring from Champlain College.

Nebraska-Omaha, which joins Franklin Pierce as the only two unbeaten teams remaining, has advanced to the Final Four in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Mavericks have yet to allow a goal in NCAA Tournament play, topping No. 23 Truman State University, 3-0, in the Central Regional Final before upsetting No. 1-ranked Northern Kentucky University, 1-0, in the quarterfinals two weeks ago. In fact, UNO has allowed just seven goals (0.33/match) in 21 matches this season - posting 16 shutouts.

Freshman Amy Price has played the majority of minutes in goal and boasts a 0.25 GAA and .933 save percentage with 13 shutouts this season.

Senior Stephanie Kruse leads the UNO offense with 47 points and 21 goals (eight match-winners) with five assists. Junior Stephanie Kirby has totaled 23 points with six markers and a team-best 11 assists, while sophomore Ashley Grace has chipped in 17 points on six goals and five assists.

The Ravens are scheduled to depart the College for Virginia Beach on Wednesday at 8 a.m. The College's Pierce Pride committee and SAAC members have organized a send-off celebration for the team set to begin at 7:30 a.m.

2002 NCAA Division II Championships

FINAL FOUR
Virginia Beach Sportsplex, Virginia Beach, Va.
Friday, December 6
#3 Nebraska-Omaha (21-0) vs. #4 Franklin Pierce (18-0-2), 5 p.m.
#9 Metro State (20-2-2) vs. #2 Christian Brothers (20-1), 7:30 p.m.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Sunday, December 8 Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.