FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Complete NCAA Division II Tournament Bracket

ALLENDALE, Mich. (Nov. 13, 2012)-- A pair of regional juggernauts will clash on the soccer pitch in third round of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships on Friday as the sixth seed University of Wisconsin-Parkside travels to Michigan to face top-seeded and No. 3 Grand Valley State University. Kickoff at the GVSU Soccer Field is slated for 5 p.m. (Eastern Time).

UW-Parkside (14-4-1) enters the sweet 16 after blanking Great Lakes Valley Conference rival William Jewell College, 2-0, on Friday before rallying to edge host and second-seeded Quincy University 2-1 on Sunday. Grand Valley State (19-1-2), champions of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, received an opening round bye as the top seed before tallying three second half goals to knock out Rockhurst University, 3-1.

"We gave the team a couple of days off after the Rockhurst (GLVC Tournament) game. The Friday of the GLVC semifinals we scrimmaged against ourselves and it was pretty intense. I think that really kept us sharp heading into the NCAA Tournament," said head coach Troy Fabiano, now in his 14th year at the helm, posting a career mark of 177-63-22.

Both squads have a tradition of success at the national level and have been no stranger to playing soccer in late November. The Rangers are a staple at the NCAA Tournament in recent years, advancing past the opening round for three straight seasons and four of the last five years, including a regional championship and quarterfinal appearance in 2008. The Lakers meanwhile, are coming off back-to-back-to-back NCAA title game appearances, including national titles in 2009 and 2010.

GVSU has been a thorn in the side of the Rangers the past two seasons, ending UW-Parkside's playoff run in both 2011 and 2010. The Lakers ended the Rangers season in the second round in 2011 with a 3-1 victory on Nov. 13 while downing the Rangers 3-0 on Nov. 19 in the 2010 Midwest Region final. The Lakers' recent run of good fortune against UWP comes after the Rangers defeated GVSU 1-0 in 2008 in Allendale, Mich., capturing the Midwest Region Championship. Overall the two titans have met nine times with five coming in the NCAA Tournament. GVSU holds a slim 5-4 lead in the overall series and a 3-2 edge in the playoffs.

UWP's road to the sweet 16 began with a rocky start, opening the season 3-3-1.

"We went on the road and lost three games. We have six seniors and we told them there are two ways the season is going to go. Refocus and get back on track or we're going to crash and burn."

Since then the Rangers have been nearly unstoppable, winning 11 of their last 12, including a stretch of seven straight shutouts. UW-Parkside has gotten it done with a balanced scoring attack with seven players with at least three goals and three with at least four assists.

"Everybody knew our scoring threat in the past and put their focus on that. This year we have multiple people scoring goals, it's more of a team attack."

Megan Owens leads the team in goals and points with seven goals and 16 points while Ashley Meyer is second in points with four goals and six assists. Madison Pickett leads the team in assists with seven helpers on the year.

Part of the Rangers late season renaissance has been the emergence of Kaela Hoecherl as a scoring threat. Saddled with multiple injuries over the past couple years, the redshirt sophomore and Kenosha native is finally coming into form, scoring five goals over the past six games, including a pair of game-winners.

"The first couple games this season she was just trying to get her fitness back. The reason we recruited her was her knack to score goals and she's a very offensive minded player."

Defensively the Rangers have posted nine shutouts on the season with senior Lauki'i Cheng anchoring that unit.

"Her physicality is her strength, she has no fear. She's great in the air and organizes us in the back. The team respects her for the way she throws her body around."

The Lakers enter Friday's clash having won nine straight while outscoring the opposition by a 73-7 margin on the season. GVSU ranks fourth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 3.32 goals per game while leading the nation in goals against average (0.312) and shutout percentage (.773), recording clean sheets in all but five games this season.

Pacing the potent Grand Valley State offense is Ashley Botts with 15 goals and five assists and Kayla Addison (12 goals, five assists).

The other game in Allendale features No. 2 seed Minnesota State University-Mankato (17-1-3), unbeaten in its last 19 games, against top-seeded University of Central Missouri (16-2-4) for the Central Region Title on Friday. The Mavericks and Jennies are set to take the pitch at 2 p.m. (Eastern) with the winner facing the GVSU-UWP winner on Sunday at 1 p.m. for a a spot in the NCAA Division II Final Four.