By: by Mark Toma
KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State head women’s soccer coach Rob King and the Owls soccer program have announced the Black and Gold’s opponents for the 2010 season.
Kennesaw State, winners of the Atlantic Sun Conference regular and tournament championship last season, will play 17 games in 2010 with seven regular season matches to be played at the Owls new stadium.
“This fall marks the beginning of a new era for KSU soccer,” boasted King. “With the opening of our new state-of-the-art soccer stadium it's a very exciting time for the program and we look forward to the ever more challenging schedule that this stadium will afford.
The Owls will open up the regular season on the road on Friday, Aug. 20 when they travel to South Carolina to play at the College of Charleston. On Sunday, Aug. 22 the Owls will play their much anticipated home opener against Alabama A&M.
“Our stadium opener is against Alabama A&M and we're hoping for a fantastic crowd to kick things off,” added King.
The University of Tennessee Tournament is up next for the Black and Gold as they will play Richmond on Aug. 27 and two days later, on Aug. 29, Kennesaw State will play the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps will be the sixth Atlantic Coast Conference opponent the Owls will have faced all-time.
“The trip to Knoxville will match us up with two very competitive programs in Richmond and ACC powerhouse Maryland,” continued King. “It will be a good early season test for us.”
The Wyoming Cowboys come to Kennesaw State the following Sunday, Sept. 5 for the final non-conference home match of the season. The Owls will then play in the Samford Tournament as the battle the host Bulldogs on Sept. 10 and the Eagles of Georgia Southern on Sept. 12.
“We then have Wyoming coming in to play in a doubleheader game at the stadium, with the Atlanta Beat taking on Sky Blue FC in the nightcap game,” commented the Owls 10-year head coach. “The Samford Tournament pits us against a very strong Bulldogs side and in-state rivals Georgia Southern.”
Lipscomb and Belmont open up the 2010 A-Sun season as the Owls travel to Nashville for a Sept. 17 meeting with the Bisons and a Sept. 19 battle with the Bruins, who the Owls defeated, 2-1, in the A-Sun Championship Match to earn a berth to the NCAA National Tournament.
Jacksonville and North Florida come to campus on Sept. 24 and Sept. 26 to open up the home conference slate. The conference home opener is a rematch of the A-Sun semifinal game from last season in which the Owls beat the Dolphins, 1-0, in overtime on Caitlin Dingle header in the 96th minute.
“We know what to expect in the conference match-ups and are looking forward to the challenge of trying to repeat as champions,” said King, who has led the Owls to a pair of NCAA national tournaments in the past three seasons. “There are no easy games anymore and as regular season and tournament winners, we are the one game that every other school will be looking to win. With a very committed group of returning players and outstanding newcomers, I believe we'll be up for the challenge.”
A three-match road trip begins at Stetson on Oct. 1 and continues through Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers on Oct. 3 and concludes on Oct. 7 with a trip to Buies Creek, N.C. to play Campbell.
The regular season concludes with a three-match homestand with the Owls hosting USC Upstate on Oct. 15, ETSU on Oct. 17 and the season finale on Oct. 23 against rival Mercer.
The Owls will play two preseason matches beginning with an exhibition against Jacksonville State on Saturday, Aug. 14 and concluding on Aug. 17 with a friendly against Georgia College & State University.
2010 Kennesaw State Opponents
Home
Jacksonville State (Preseason)
GC&SU (Preseason)
Alabama A&M
Wyoming
Jacksonville
North Florida
USC Upstate
ETSU
Mercer
Away
College of Charleston
Richmond (UT Tournament)
Maryland (UT tournament)
Samford (Samford Tournament)
Georgia Southern (Samford Tournament)
Lipscomb
Belmont
Stetson
FGCU
Campbell
