Four NCAA Tournament Teams Highlight 2011 Women's Soccer Schedule
DATE: June 14, 2011
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NEWARK, Del. -- With its nonconference opponents combining to win 70 games last season, the University of Delaware women’s soccer team will have plenty of opportunities to face good competition before beginning Colonial Athletic Association action this fall.
“We are very excited about our nonconference schedule this year," said Delaware head coach Scott Grzenda, who will begin his 22nd season at the helm of the Blue Hens in 2011. "We made a point to give our team a taste of the NCAA and we'll play teams from eight different conferences, two of which played in the NCAA tournament last year. Every conference plays a slightly different style and we want to prepare our team to play against anyone. Our schedule is designed to prepare us for the rigors of our conference play.”
This coming fall, the Blue Hens, who won their final three games of the 2010 season in shutout fashion, will take on opponents from eight different conferences, including their 11 CAA foes, two from the Atlantic 10, and one each from the America East, Big East, Ivy League, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Great West Conference, and the Patriot League.
On Aug. 12, the Hens will play a tune-up scrimmage in South Orange, N.J. against the Big East's Seton Hall at 7 p.m.
Delaware, which went 8-10-1 overall in 2010, opens the regular season at home on Aug. 21 when the Hens host 2010 A-10 semifinalist La Salle at Delaware Mini Stadium at 1 p.m.
At the end of August, the Hens head to a familiar city in Harrisonburg, Va. to take part in the James Madison University Tournament. The Hens will not face CAA foe JMU, but will take on Stony Brook on Aug. 26 and Pitt on Aug. 28.
The Blue Hens open the month of September with a pair of games in Philadelphia, taking on Saint Joseph’s on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. followed by a 7:30 p.m. start against Pennsylvania on Sept. 4.
After four games away from Newark, the Blue Hens Hens finally return to Delaware Mini Stadium on Sept. 9 to face the defending MAAC champion, Siena at 7 p.m.
The Hens will renew the Route 1 Rivalry for a third time on Sept. 16 when they host Delaware State at 7 p.m. The Blue Hens have not surrendered a goal in two all-time meetings with their in-state foe from Dover.
Delaware then wraps up the non-conference slate with a trip to Army on Sept. 18 in West Point, N.Y.
“The CAA is year-in and year-out the best mid-major conference in the country," said Grzenda. "We're one of the few conferences that sends multiple teams to the tournament every year. That said, each year it's a battle to come out on top and we'll be prepared to compete for our place this year."
After sending two teams to the NCAA tournament in 2010, the CAA schedule will continue to challenge the Blue Hens, who went 4-6-1 in the league a year ago.
Delaware kicks off the conference slate with a pair of home games, taking on the farthest CAA opponents on its schedule this season. The Hens will host UNC Wilmington, which will travel nearly 500 miles to Newark on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. Two days later, Delaware will take on Georgia State, which will make the 735-mile journey from Atlanta. That game is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 1 p.m.
The Hens will make their first CAA road trip on Sept. 29 when they head to Boston to face the Huskies of Northeastern at 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 will mark a brief homecoming for the Hens as they host Hofstra, the third team on Delaware’s schedule to have played in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Delaware’s next five games will be against the five conference schools from the commonwealth of Virginia, including three on the road. The Hens head to Norfolk to face Old Dominion on Oct. 7 followed by a trip to Williamsburg to face William & Mary on Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.
The Hens then return to Delaware Mini Stadium on Oct. 14 to host Virginia Commonwealth at 7 p.m. Delaware takes on its fourth NCAA Tournament qualifying team on Oct. 16 as it hosts James Madison University. Rounding out the Virginia opponents, the Hens travel to Fairfax on Oct. 21 to face the Patriots of George Mason.
Delaware wraps up the regular season on Oct. 29 as it hosts nearby foe Drexel at 1 p.m. The six-team 2011 CAA Tournament, with all games held at the site of highest seed, is slated for the week of Nov. 3-6.
Agate:
2011 University of Delaware Women’s Soccer Schedule
Aug. 12 at Seton Hall 7 p.m. (Scrimmage); Aug. 21 vs. La Salle, 1 p.m.; Aug. 26 vs. Stony Brook (JMU Tournament) 5 p.m.; Aug. 28 vs. Pittsburgh, 11 a.m. (JMU Tournament)
Sept. 2 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 p.m.; Sept. 4 at Pennsylvania, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 9 vs. Siena, 7 p.m.; Sept. 16 vs. Delaware State, 7 p.m. (Route 1 Rivalry); Sept. 18 at Army, 1 p.m.; Sept. 23 vs. *UNC Wilmington, 7 p.m.; Sept. 25 vs. *Georgia State, 1 p.m.; Sept. 28 at *Northeastern, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. *Hofstra, 1 p.m.; Oct. 7 at *Old Dominion, 7 p.m.; Oct. 9 at *William & Mary, 3 p.m.; Oct. 14 vs. *Virginia Commonwealth University, 7 p.m.; Oct. 16 vs. *James Madison, Noon; Oct. 21 at *George Mason, 6 p.m.; Oct. 23 at *Towson, 1 p.m.; Oct. 29 vs. *Drexel, 1 p.m.
Nov. 3-6 CAA Tournament at Highest Seed
