Ravens face stern quarterfinal test to earn record 14th Final Four berth

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (November 10, 2006) - Sixth-ranked Franklin Pierce faces its biggest challenge of the year tomorrow as it faces No. 2-ranked West Chester (Pa.) University in quarterfinal round action of the 2006 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships at South Campus Soccer Field.

Admission for Saturday's match is $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students with ID and $1 for children ages 2-12. For those not making the trek to the greater Philadelphia region, the match will be broadcast live on WFPC-LP 105.3 FM locally in the Rindge, N.H., area, and simulcast via the internet at www.franklinpierce.edu /athletics.

Saturday's contest will mark a rematch of the 2005 NCAA Tournament quarterfinal, which Franklin Pierce won 2-1 on Sodexho Field in Rindge, to earn its record 13^th trip to the Division II Final Four in 14 years. All-America forward Laura Hislop was the spark for the Ravens, playing a role in both goals that came in the opening 21 minutes. She set up fellow All-American Sonya Hughes (now an assistant coach with the Ravens) just 9:31 into the match before netting an unassisted strike in the 21^st minute.

West Chester trimmed its deficit in half on a Brittany Yetter (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) free kick in the 28^th minute, but Franklin Pierce was able to hold on the rest of the way. Junior Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) made two saves to preserve the victory.            

Franklin Pierce (18-2-1, 12-2-0 NE-10) advanced to the quarterfinal round after capturing its 11^th-straight New England Regional title with a 3-1 victory over second-seeded and No. 15-ranked College of Saint Rose last Sunday. Junior midfielder Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) played a role in all three Raven goals with a goal and assist. She set up markers from freshman Mackenzie Bulych (Regina, Saskatchewan/Dr. Martin LeBoldus) and senior Alex Scavo (Toronto, Ontario/Brother Andre) and also converted a penalty kick in the 11^th minute that put the team up 2-0 and proved to be the match-winning strike.

Demoner, a first team All-Northeast-10 selection, leads Franklin Pierce with 14 goals (3^rd NE-10) and a Conference-best 12 assists for 40 points (3^rd) in 18 matches played for the Ravens. She has also netted a team-best six match-winning goals and Franklin Pierce is unbeaten (17-0-1) this season with her in the lineup.

Junior Jenna Giardina (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic), a second team All-Conference and NE-10 All-Academic pick, has enjoyed a breakout year with seven goals and seven assists (7^th NE-10) for 21 points. NE-10 Freshman of the Year Shona Franklin (Leicester, England) has produced six goals and two assists for 14 points, while classmate Rachel Smith (Carlisle, Pa./Bible Baptist School) has contributed five goals and two assists for 12 points.            

Mello ranks second in the Northeast-10 with a 0.72 goals against average to go with a .821 save percentage (3^rd) and Conference-best eight shutouts. Franklin Pierce leads the Northeast-10 and ranks 25^th nationally with a 0.70 team goals against average, while the Ravens nine shutouts are good for second in the Conference.

West Chester (22-0-0, 12-0-0 PSAC), undefeated since its 2005 quarterfinal loss to Franklin Pierce, advanced to the quarterfinal round with what appeared to be two walkover victories in the Northeast Regional here last weekend. The Golden Rams topped Slippery Rock University, 4-0, before overcoming an early deficit to dispatch Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 4-1, in the regional final last Sunday.

West Chester, seeking its first Final Four berth, is led by senior Julie Karcher (Hatsboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) with 21 goals (four match-winners) and ten assists for 52 points. Yetter has added 12 goals (five match-winners) and a team-best 14 assists for 38 points, while junior Danielle Gerz (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) has totaled 11 goals (five match-winners) and five assists for 27 points. Junior Lauren Ginnona (Spring City, Pa./O.J. Roberts) has chipped in nine goals and six assists for 24 points.       

Sophomore Hilary Smart (Enola, Pa./Cumberland Valley), who didn't allow a goal while making one save in the second half of last year's quarterfinal, has seen the majority of work in goal for West Chester this fall. She has posted a 0.52 goals against average and .821 save percentage with five shutouts in 22 matches played (19 starts).

The winner of Saturday's match will face the winner of tomorrow's quarterfinal between No. 3 UC San Diego and No. 12 Metro State University being played in Denver, Colo., in a semifinal match on Thursday, November 16, in Pensacola, Fla., as part of the 2006 NCAA Division II Fall Championships Festival.

NOTES FROM THE NEST:
Saturday marks just the second meeting all-time between Franklin Pierce and West Chester, the first in Pennsylvania... Franklin Pierce is 9-0-0 in program history against teams from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), including a 4-0-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament... Franklin Pierce is 4-0 this season against nationally ranked opponents, but West Chester is the first Raven opponent this year ranked in the top ten... Franklin Pierce is 11-0-1 all-time in NCAA Quarterfinal matches, including a 2-0-1 mark on the road... The Ravens lone NCAA Quarterfinal blemish was a 2-2 double-overtime draw at Adelphi University in 2004 in which the Panthers broke the Ravens streak of Final Four berths at 12-straight with a 6-5 decision on penalty kicks in Garden City, N.Y... Franklin Pierce has won a Division II record five National Championships (1994, '95, '96, '97 and '99)... The Ravens were also national finalists in 2003... Junior Gabriela Demoner was named NE-10 Player of the Week on Monday after totaling two goals and two assists for six points in two NCAA Tournament matches last weekend.

NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship
Quarterfinal Round
Saturday, November 11 (All times eastern)
#6 Franklin Pierce (18-2-1) at #2 West Chester (22-0-0), Noon
#1 Nebraska-Omaha (19-0-2) at #8 Grand Valley State (17-1-1), 1 p.m.
#3 UC San Diego (20-1-2) at #12 Metro State University (21-2-0), 3 p.m.
#19 Tusculum (14-2-3) at #5 Tampa (17-2-1), 7 p.m.

Final Four
Pensacola, Fla.
Thursday, November 16
FPC/WCU winner vs. UCSD/MSU winner
UNO/GVSU winner vs. Tusc./Tampa winner

Saturday, November 18
National Championship