University of Albany Announces 2009 Women's Soccer Schedule; Great Danes Head for California - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Friday, May 15 the school’s women’s soccer schedule for 2009. The Great Danes will play an 18-match schedule, which includes non-conference dates against five opponents which finished with a winning record last season.

UAlbany’s 10-game non-conference slate begins with a trip to California for a pair of matches against winning programs. The Great Danes kick things off at Sacramento State on Friday, Aug. 28 and conclude the West Coast swing at Pacific on Sunday, Aug. 30.

The Great Danes will return to the Capital Region for two dates at Varsity Field. UAlbany will host Iona in its home opener on Friday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. Two days later, the squad will look to avenge a narrow loss on a last-minute goal to Lehigh when the Mountain Hawks visit Varsity Field at 1 p.m.

UAlbany will continue its schedule with three consecutive road dates against Atlantic 10 Conference foes. The squad will visit Massachusetts on Wednesday, Sept. 9 before heading to Philadelphia to face La Salle on Friday, Sept. 11 and Temple on Sunday, Sept. 13. The four-match road trip ends against crosstown-rival Siena on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The Great Danes’ non-conference portion of the schedule concludes with home matches against Niagara and Colgate. The Purple Eagles come to town on Friday, Sept. 18 and the Patriots make the trek on Sunday, Sept. 20.

UAlbany begins America East Conference play on the road against Vermont on Sunday, Sept. 27. The Great Danes also have road matches against New Hampshire, UMBC and Stony Brook. The squad’s conference home opener at Varsity Field will be on Thursday, Oct. 1 against Binghamton at 3 p.m. UAlbany will also welcome Boston University, the two-time reigning conference tournament champion, as well as Hartford and Maine.

Head coach Mary-Frances Monroe enters her fourth season. After posting a Division I program-record five victories in 2006 and 2007, the Great Danes stayed in contention for their first bid to the six-team league tournament until the final weekend of the regular season last year.

In addition to bringing in the program’s largest recruiting class of 11 members under Monroe, the squad is slated to return eight of its 11 starters and nearly all of its scoring production. Teresa Boring, the 2007 America East rookie of the year, as well as Rebecca Lee and Kendra Harrell-Vigil, a pair of 2008 conference all-rookie team selections, are among the returnees.

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2009 University at Albany Women’s Soccer Schedule

August – 28 (Fri.), at Sacramento State, 8:00; 30 (Sun.), at Pacific, 3:00.

September – 4 (Fri.), Iona, 4:00; 6 (Sun.), Lehigh, 1:00; 9 (Wed.), at Massachusetts, 4:30; 11 (Fri.), at La Salle, 7:00; 13 (Sun.), at Temple, 1:00; 16 (Wed.), at Siena, 4:00; 18 (Fri.), Niagara, 4:00; 20 (Sun.), Colgate, 1:00; 27 (Sun.), at Vermont*, 3:00.

October – 1 (Thu.), Binghamton*, 3:00; 8 (Thu.), at New Hampshire*, 3:00; 11 (Sun.), Boston University*, 1:00; 15 (Thu.), at UMBC*, 3:00; 18 (Sun.), at Stony Brook*, 2:00; 22 (Thu.), Harford*, 3:00; 25 (Sun.), Maine*, 12:00.



*America East Conference Opponent