FP
Women's Soccer Team to Face UCSD
1999 Champions of Division II and Division III to Meet
in Semifinals
RINDGE, N.H.
(November 20, 2000) - For the second time in five years, Franklin Pierce University
will be involved in a game matching
two reigning national champions when it faces the University
of California, San Diego in the semifinals of the NCAA Division
II tournament.
Barry University, the top-ranked team in the NSCAA (National
Soccer Coaches Association of America) poll, was awarded
the right to host the Final Four for the second straight
year. The semifinals will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30 at
4 and 7 P.M., and the championship game will be Saturday,
Dec. 2 at 1 P.M.
FP
and UCSD will play at 4 P.M. The other semifinal
game, at 7 P.M. matches two teams that are making return
trips to the Final Four: Barry University (18-0) against
Northern
Kentucky (21-1-2).
Before moving up to Division II this year, the Tritons
(19-2) won their record fifth NCAA Division III title in
1999. The Ravens (18-2-2) have won a record five NCAA Division
II titles and are the defending champions.
The other semifinal game matches two teams that are making
return trips to the Final Four: Barry University (18-0)
against Northern
Kentucky (21-1-2).
The last time two reigning national champions met in
this tournament came in 1996 when FP
beat Lynn University
of Boca Raton, Fla., 1-0, in the championship game on Lynn's
home field. Lynn was the NAIA national champion in 1995.
UCSD, ranked third in the final NSCAA (National Soccer
Coaches Association of America) poll, has won 15 straight
matches, including tournament wins of 2-0 over Sonoma (Calif.)
State in the first round and 6-2 over Central Oklahoma in
the quarterfinal round. The Tritons have racked up 10 shutouts
and allowed just six goals during that streak.
FPC, ranked 10th, is on an eight-game unbeaten streak
after beating Southern Connecticut State University,
3-1, in the first round and Bloomsburg (Pa.) University,
6-0, in the quarterfinal round. The Ravens have outscored
their opponents 37-7 in that span.
FP
is making its ninth straight appearance in the Final
Four. The Ravens won national championships in 1994, 1995,
1996, 1997 and 1999. The Ravens have gone 21-3 all-time
in NCAA tournament play while outscoring the opposition
78-24, including a 14-1 count in championship games.
UCSD has won national championships in 1989, 1995, 1996,
1997 and 1999. This will be its ninth Final Four appearance
in the past 10 years.
UCSD Coach Brian McManus has a career record of 235-27-18
(38-7-2 in NCAA tournament matches), while FP
Coach Jeff
Bailey has a career record of 98-5-2 (15-1 in NCAA tournament
matches).
Junior forward Erika Alfredson (Palo Alto,
CA) and senior forward Cindy Dostalek (Sierra
Madre, CA) lead the Triotns with 15 and 10 goals, respectively.
Each scored a goal in Sunday's win over Central Oklahoma.
Senior forward Minna Mustonen (Helsinki,
Finland) leads the Ravens with 23 goals, including four
in Saturday's win over Bloomsburg. Senior forward Tanja
Pihlblad (Lonsboda, Sweden) and junior midfielder
Julia Uusmalmi (Tampere, Finland) have 16 and 15
goals, respectively.
FP
IN NCAA Division II Tournament
1992: W, 3-2, Keene State (OT), quarterfinals; L, 3-2, Barry
(OT), semifinals.
1993: L, 3-2, Cal Poly-SLO, semifinals.
1994: W, 2-1, Mercyhurst, semifinals; W, 2-0, Regis,
championship.
1995: W, 8-0, Mercyhurst quarterfinals; W, 3-1, Sonoma
State, semifinals; W, 5-0, Barry, championship.
1996: W, 4-0, Merrimack, quarterfinals; W, 2-0, St. Joseph's,
semifinals; W, 1-0, Lynn, championship.
1997: W, N.H. College, 6-2, first round; W, 2-1, Adelphi
(OT), quarterfinals; W, 4-3, Cal.-Dominguez Hills (OT),
semifinals; W, 3-0, W.V. Wesleyan, championship.
1998: W, 4-0, AIC, first round; W, 5-0, C.W. Post, quarterfinals;
L, 4-0, Lynn, semifinals.
1999: W, 3-1, Merrimack, first round; W, 3-1, Lock Haven,
quarterfinals; W, 2-0, No. Kentucky, semifinals; W, 3-1,
Cal Poly Pomona, championship.
2000: W, 3-1, Southern Connecticut, first round; W, 6-0,
Bloomsburg, quarterfinals; vs. UC-San Diego, semifinals.
Total: FP
is 21-3 All-time
in Division II Tournament play. The Ravens have outscored
opposing teams 78-24, including 14-1 in championship games.