Third-seeded Ravens and sixth-seeded Chargers square off Friday at 3 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (March 13, 2008) – Third-seeded Franklin Pierce University, ranked 18th in this week’s USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, returns to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in nine years, when it faces sixth-seeded Dominican College (N.Y.) in opening round action of the Northeast Regional, hosted by Holy Family University, tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Admission to Campus Center Gymnasium for each session of the regional is $8.00 for general admission, $5.00 for senior citizens, $3.00 for students with valid ID and children under age 2 are free. Live video coverage will be available via www.cacc.tv free of charge. There will be a limited number of fans permitted to view the games, so it is encouraged to sign up early.

Franklin Pierce (24-5, 18-4 NE-10) is making its sixth trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament in program history and first since 1999. The Ravens also made NCAA appearances in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1998. The Ravens have matched the program record for wins (24) set in 1991-92 and also matched in 1997-98.

Franklin Pierce, which finished second in the Northeast-10 during the regular season and advanced to the semifinal round of the NE-10 tournament for the first time since joining the Conference in 2000, looks to improve on a 1-5 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play. The Ravens have lost two-straight in the NCAA’s, including a 59-51 setback to Saint Anselm College in 1999.

Franklin Pierce is the top shooting team in the Northeast-10, hitting 45.3-percent of its shots from the field (16th nationally), including a Conference-best 38.2% from three-point range (12th nationally). The Ravens also rank among NE-10 leaders in scoring (2nd, 71.1 ppg), scoring defense (5th, 57.6 ppg), scoring margin (1st, +13.4 ppg), assists (1st, 16.86/gm), steals (1st, 11.93/gm) and forced turnovers (1st, 22.9/gm).

Franklin Pierce is led by the All-Conference sister combination of sophomore Johannah and junior co-captain Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)). One or the other sister has led the Ravens in scoring in all but one game this season and all but two over the last two seasons combined.

Johannah, the Northeast-10 Player of the Year and a Daktronics All-Northeast Region pick, leads the NE-10 with 22.2 points (4th nationally) and 3.4 steals (13th) per game this season, to go with 6.6 rebounds (12th NE-10) and 4.0 assists per game (5th). She is shooting 47.9-percent (226-for-472) from the field (9th), including 37.1% (49-132) from three-point range (7th), and converting 82.3% (144-175) of her free-throw attempts (6th).

Jennifer, a third team All-NE-10 pick, adds 11.0 points (18th NE-10), 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists (4th) and 2.0 steals (8th) per game. She is shooting 45.1-percent from the field, including 38.2% from three-point range (6th). Junior Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) contributes 7.7 points per game off the bench, shooting 40.9% (56-for-137) from three-point range (3rd NE-10). Senior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) is second in the NE-10 with her .448 (30-67) shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

Dominican (22-8, 14-3 CACC) has earned the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history. The Chargers were runners up in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) after placing first in the CACC’s North Division during the regular season.

Junior Althea Chambers (Yonkers, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) leads three Dominican players averaging double-figures with 12.3 points to go with 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Sophomore Adele Laskowski (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) adds 12 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per contest, while senior Dana Rotio (Garfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic) contributes 11.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.2 steals per outing.

Tomorrow will mark just the fourth meeting all-time between these two programs, the second in postseason play. Franklin Pierce has won each of the first three encounters between the two, including a 70-59 decision at Dominican on December 30. The Ravens posted a 70-48 victory over the Chargers in the 2006 ECAC Division II Championships in the previous postseason meeting. The two teams have combined to win the last two ECAC titles, with Dominican claiming the crown in 2007 after the Ravens went on to win it in 2006.

In Franklin Pierce’s 70-59 victory over Dominican on December 30, Johannah Leedham led the way with a game-high 23 points (17 second half), four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Jennifer Leedham added 14 points, six assists and three steals. Laskowski led Dominican with 14 points and four rebounds, while Rotio chipped in 11 points.

The winner of tomorrow’s first round game will advance to face the winner of tomorrow’s first game between seventh-seeded Bryant University (20-11, 12-10 NE-10), NE-10 tournament runners up, and second-seeded and 8th-ranked Stonehill College (26-4, 19-3 NE-10) on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Northeast region championship is slated for Monday, March 17, at 7 p.m., with the winner advancing to the NCAA II Elite Eight in Kearney, Neb., March 26-29.

Rounding out Friday’s opening round will be top-seeded Holy Family (30-0, 18-0 CACC) against Molloy College (19-11, 14-6 ECC) at 6 p.m., and fifth-seeded Assumption College (21-9, 15-7 NE-10) against fourth-seeded Bentley College (19-10, 15-7 NE-10) at 8 p.m. Those winners will play Saturday’s second game at 8 p.m.


2008 NCAA Division II Northeast Regional
Hosted by Holy Family University, Philadelphia, Pa.

Friday, March 14
First Round
#7 Bryant (20-11) vs. #2 Stonehill (26-4), 1 p.m.
#6 Dominican (22-8) vs. #3 Franklin Pierce (24-5), 3 p.m.
#8 Molloy (19-11) vs. #1 Holy Family (30-0), 6 p.m.
#5 Assumption (21-9) vs. #4 Bentley (19-10), 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 15
Second Round
Bryant/Stonehill winner vs. Dominican/Franklin Pierce winner, 6 p.m.
Assumption/Bentley winner vs. Molloy/Holy Family winner, 8 p.m.

Monday, March 17
Regional Final
Second Round winners, 7 p.m.
(winner advances to NCAA II Elite Eight, Kearney, Neb., March 26-29)