Lehigh University Athletics
Oudin announces '09 women's soccer schedule
7/27/2009 3:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Eight home matches, a challenging early-season tournament and three dates with 2008 NCAA tournament participants highlight Lehigh’s 2009 women’s soccer schedule, announced by head coach Manny Oudin on Monday. The Mountain Hawks will be looking to return to the Patriot League tournament for the first time in three years, and Oudin has compiled another challenging 18-game slate as Lehigh looks to improve on last year’s 6-10-1 campaign.
The 2009 campaign begins on the Main Line as Lehigh will take part in the Villanova Classic August 28 and 30. A pair of major conference foes awaits the Mountain Hawks, who will open their season against Big XII member Nebraska on August 28 before taking on ACC foe Virginia Tech two days later. The Hokies are the first of three NCAA tournament teams on Lehigh’s schedule as Virginia Tech posted a 10-9-4 mark last season and reached the finals of the ACC tournament.
“We open up with two quality opponents in Nebraska and Virginia Tech,” explained Oudin, who enters his eighth season. “We’re looking forward to the challenges of our season-opening tournament, but we also have some tough road games and will visit some tough places to play in our non-league games.”
The following weekend, Lehigh returns to the road as the Mountain Hawks return to the Philadelphia area to face La Salle on Friday September 4. Two days later the season-opening four-game road trip concludes when Lehigh travels to Albany to face the Great Danes.
Lehigh opens its home schedule on Friday, September 11 when the Cornell Big Red visits the Ulrich Sports Complex. On September 13, it’s back to the road for the Brown and White as they head to Connecticut to face Quinnipiac a team which Lehigh is 4-0 against all-time.
Schedule newcomer Virginia Commonwealth visits the Ulrich Sports Complex on September 18 before Lehigh heads to New Jersey to face Monmouth on September 20 and Fairleigh Dickinson on September 23 in the Mountain Hawks’ final tune-ups before Patriot League play begins.
The league schedule kicks-off on Friday October 2 when defending Patriot League champion Army comes to town. The Black Knights’ lone league blemish was a 2-0 home loss to the Mountain Hawks in last year’s regular season finale.
A brief two-game home stand wraps up with a game against Ivy League foe Columbia in October 5 before Lehigh hits the road for the first time in league play with Friday-Sunday dates at Colgate and Bucknell.
The third and final NCAA participant on the Mountain Hawks’ schedule is Princeton, who Lehigh will host on October 14 before heading up to Worcester, Massachusetts to face Holy Cross on October 17.
Down the stretch, the Mountain Hawks will benefit from playing their final three regular season matches at the Ulrich Sports Complex. Lehigh will host Navy on Friday October 23, and will meet American two days later. The regular season concludes on Saturday October 31 when Lehigh hosts arch rival Lafayette. The Mountain Hawks have won their last seven matches against the Leopards, including a 2-0 triumph last year in Easton.
The top four teams in the league standings qualify for the Patriot League Tournament, November 6-8 at the home field of the highest seed.
““Top to bottom the Patriot League continues to get stronger and there continues to be a tight race for the top four spots,” Oudin said. “We’ve missed the tournament the last two years, so to get back there is a major goal for us. We recognize the importance of every game and want to get back to playing in November.”
The Mountain Hawks will open the 2009 season against Nebraska at the Villanova Classic on Friday August 28. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.
