FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MANSFIELD, Mass. -- Making an appearance in its 22nd NE10 Championship, No. 1 seed Franklin Pierce has its sights set on its third consecutive title.  The NE10 Championship quarterfinals kick-off Saturday afternoon at campus sites.  Only four times has the same team pulled off a three-peat in the championship, most recently when Southern New Hampshire won four straight from 2012 to 2015.

The Ravens, ranked No. 1 in the nation since the preseason, haven't lost since Sept 23, 2021 -- a span of 773 days, or about half the length of World War I.  The only teams to match FPU over that span were Millersville (who advanced on PK's in the 2021 NCAA third round) and Le Moyne (who managed an early season scoreless tie in 2022).  The Ravens were pushed to the limit in their regular season finale, however, coming from behind to top Adelphi, 3-2, with the winning goal coming in the 69th minute.

A title for Franklin Pierce would mark the Ravens' sixth, equaling them with Saint Anselm for second all-time.  Southern New Hampshire holds the record with seven championship titles.  

FPU has a little history on its side as the No. 1 seed.  Nine of the last 12 NE10 men's soccer titles have, in fact, been won by the regular season champion.  The lowest seeded teams to have claimed the tournament crown were No. 5 Merrimack in 2007 and SNHU in 2000, both having eliminated the top seed in the semifinals.

The greatest challenger to FPU is No. 2 seed Bentley, also listed in this week's NCAA regional rankings for the first time this season.  The Falcons went 5-3-2 to earn the second seed while learning how to grind for victories.  Each of Bentley's five wins in NE10 play were decided by a single goal and the Falcons finished 5-2 in one-goal games.

With 15 points, Adelphi enters the NE10 Championships as the third seed, but having dropped three straight one-goal games.  The Panthers do, however, claim that tight contest with Franklin Pierce, a win over Bentley, and a 3-0 shutout of their first opponent, Southern Connecticut State.  The Owls, meanwhile, enter the bracket on the biggest of highs.  Needing a win to secure a spot, SCSU delivered in the regular season finale with a 1-0 decision over Bentley.  Yannick Hilpert's 86th minute goal clinched a spot and helped the Owls finish the regular season unbeaten in their final four matches.  Southern Connecticut, and its goalie Devin Juan, have allowed the second fewest goals in the NE10 (16) this season.  

While Franklin Pierce led the league with 55 goals, the other most potent offenses in the field come from American International and Saint Rose, each of whom scored 31 times this fall.

NE10 CHAMPIONSHIP SUPERLATIVES
Most Appearances: 24, Bentley & Le Moyne
Most Semifinals: 19, Merrimack
Most Finals: 10, Merrimack
Most Titles: 7, Southern New Hampshire
Finals Decided by 1G or Less: 26
Overtime Finals: 7
Finals Decided in PKs: 2 (2004, 2006)

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.