Delaware Men's Soccer to Take on Three NCAA Teams as Hens Announce 2011 Schedule
May 31, 2011
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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NEWARK, Del. -- Coming off of one of the most successful seasons in University of Delaware men’s soccer history, sixth-year head coach Ian Hennessy will look to do something never before accomplished in the program’s 84-season history: Reach the conference tournament two seasons in a row.
After a stunning three-game run to end the season and qualify for the program’s first-ever Colonial Athletic Association tournament, Delaware is on the hunt to reach the post-season yet again.
"I think the CAA will be even stronger this year than last, when we had seven teams ranked in the top 100," said Hennessy, who guided the program to its first winning conference record since 1996. "Our players can draw on the fact that we lost in our conference semifinal in double overtime to a William and Mary that went to the Final 16 of the NCAA tournament. They can also look to our victory over Old Dominion, which knocked off defending national champion Virginia in the NCAA tournament. Obviously these are in the past now but most of this year's group have been through games like these, and the bar is set a little higher every year. I have faith in the group and I have already signed us up to play ACC powers Duke and North Carolina State in 2012, which is exciting.”
The season’s non-conference schedule features some of the top teams in the country, including three squads that played in the 2010 NCAA tournament and two teams that reached at least the second round.
In addition to the other 11 teams in the CAA, Delaware will face two Patriot League opponents, a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foes, and one opponent each from the Atlantic 10, Big East, and Ivy League.
Delaware will play in a pair of tune-up exhibition games in mid-August, both of which will be on the road against teams who reached their conference finals a year ago. The Hens will travel to Washington, D.C. to face American University, which reached the Patriot League finals last season, on Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. A week later on Aug. 20, Delaware will head to West Long Beach, N.J. for a battle against defending Northeast Conference champion Monmouth at 7 p.m.
The Blue Hens, who tallied a 6-9-3 overall record a year ago, utilized home field advantage with a 6-3 mark during the season. The Hens posted an incredible 5-0 home record in conference play, finishing as the only team in the league to go unbeaten and untied at home during CAA play. All 2011 home games will be played at Delaware Mini Stadium.
The Hens’ regular season will kickoff on Aug. 26 when Delaware hosts Atlantic 10 foe Massachusetts at 1 p.m.
Delaware hits the road for three straight games, heading to South Orange, N.J. on Sept. 1 to face Seton Hall at 7 p.m. After a nine-day respite, the Blue Hens travel to Buffalo, N.Y. to face Canisius on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. Delaware rounds out the road series on Sept. 14, making the short trip to Annapolis, Md. to face the Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy at 7 p.m.
The Blue Hens return to Newark on Sept. 18 to take on Ivy League entry Columbia at 3:30 p.m.
The homecoming will be short-lived before Delaware travels to Jersey City, N.J. to take on defending MAAC champion Saint Peter’s at 4 p.m. The Peacocks will be the first of three teams on Delaware’s schedule that qualified for the NCAA Tournament last fall.
After going 5-4-2 in the CAA last season, Delaware begins its charge to the post-season on Sept. 24 when it hosts Georgia State at 7 p.m. The following weekend, Delaware heads to Norfolk, Va. to take on Old Dominion at 7 p.m. Last season, the Monarchs earned an at-large bid to the NCAA and reached the second round.
The Hens will host back-to-back games as they take on Northeastern at 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 and James Madison at 1 p.m. on Oct. 9 before making the 45-mile drive to Philadelphia to take on Drexel at 7 p.m. on Oct. 12.
Delaware then opens its three-game home stand with Hofstra on Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. followed by a 7 p.m. encounter against George Mason on Oct. 19.
The one home game that the team will have circled on its calendar will be William & Mary, scheduled for Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. Last season, Delaware dropped a heart-breaking 1-0 loss with just 24 seconds left in the second overtime period of the CAA semifinals to No. 14 ranked William & Mary. The Tribe went on to win the CAA title to earn the NCAA Tournament bid and then rolled into the third round and the final 16 before falling.
The Blue Hens will then head out on the road yet again for their next two CAA contests. The Hens make the short trip to Towson on Oct. 26 followed by their longest trip of the season to UNC Wilmington on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
The Hens break up their conference slate with one final out of conference opponent, Lafayette. The game vs. the Leopards will be Delaware’s final home game of the regular season and will be played on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.
Delaware concludes the 2011 regular season with a familiar foe, Virginia Commonwealth, who the Hens defeated 1-0 in last season’s finale to clinch a spot in the CAA Tournament. The Hens will take on the Rams at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 in Richmond, Va.
The four-team 2011 CAA Tournament, held at the highest seed, is slated for the weekend of Nov. 11-13.
"There is a real buzz about the UD athletics department, in very large part due to the vision and hard work our athletic administration and overall University leadership," said Hennessy. "You can feel it also when you walk around campus, with new research buildings and structural improvements. You can see it in the old Chrysler facility, on the athletic complex with the new basketball and volleyball practice facility, and with the new soccer field. I feel it and the student-athletes feel it. It is a very exciting time."
Agate:
2011 University of Delaware Men’s Soccer Schedule
Aug. 14 at American, 5 p.m. (Scrimmage); Aug. 20 at Monmouth, 7 p.m. (Scrimmage); Aug. 26 vs. Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
Sept. 1 at Seton Hall 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 at Canisius, 1 p.m.; Sept. 14 at Navy, 7 p.m.; Sept. 18 vs. Columbia 3:30 p.m.; Sept. 21 at St. Peter’s 4 p.m.; Sept. 24 vs. *Georgia State 7 p.m.; Sept. 30 at *Old Dominion 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. *Northeastern 6 p.m.; Oct. 9 vs. *James Madison, 1 p.m.; Oct. 12 at *Drexel 7 p.m.; Oct. 16 vs. *Hofstra, 3 p.m.; Oct. 19 vs. *George Mason, 7 p.m.; Oct. 22 vs. *William & Mary, 7 p.m.; Oct. 26 at *Towson, tba; Oct. 29 at *UNC Wilmington, 7 p.m.;
Nov. 1 vs. Lafayette, 7 p.m.; Nov. 5 at *Virginia Commonwealth, 7 p.m.; Nov. 10-13 CAA Championships at Highest Seed (Top 6 Advance)
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