Marshall University Athletics
Eight Home Dates Highlight @HerdWSoccer 2016 Schedule
5/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Coming off a record-setting 2015 season, Marshall women's soccer will play eight home dates on Hoops Family Field at Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex in 2016, coach Kevin Long announced on Friday.
"We are looking forward to this challenging schedule," Long, the 2015 Conference USA co-Coach of the Year, said. "We play some teams we have never played before and we are looking forward to the high level of competition. Out of the gates, we start with the trip to Purdue and Michigan, to top level teams who will demand our best play right away."
Following a 2015 campaign that ended in the Conference USA Championship match, the Thundering Herd's 2016 schedule features two exhibition matches in preparation for the regular season: the first against Dayton at Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex on Aug. 12, and the second at Ball State on Aug. 14.
To kick off regular-season play, Marshall will face a pair of Big Ten opponents on the road. The Herd will meet Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., on Aug. 19, followed by a match against Michigan in Ann Arbor on Aug. 21. It will be Marshall's first meeting with the Wolverines. The Herd is 0-3 all-time against the Big Ten, listing two losses against Purdue (2003, 2014) and one against Indiana in 2003.
After a first meeting at Longwood on Aug. 26, the Herd will open home play versus IUPUI (Sept. 2) and ETSU (Sept. 4) at Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex. Marshall will meet regional rival Ohio in Athens on Sept. 9 before hosting its first Conference USA match of the year against WKU on Sept. 15.
To complete its non-conference slate, the Herd will travel to William & Mary on Sept. 18 before a stretch of three C-USA road matches at North Texas (Sept. 22), Southern Miss (Sept. 25) and Louisiana Tech (Sept. 30).
"We finish our non-conference schedule versus the highly-respected William & Mary, right after we play our first C-USA game," Long said. "That will be a huge weekend for us, as both teams are highly competitive and we will be looking for the right momentum as we fully immerse ourselves in conference play from that point."
Upon returning to "The Vet," the Herd will seek revenge against UAB on Oct. 7. The Blazers ended Marshall's record 12-match unbeaten streak last season with a 2-1 overtime win in Birmingham on Oct. 9, 2015. The final C-USA home matchups of the season will be against Middle Tennessee (Oct. 9), UTEP (Oct. 20) and Charlotte (Oct. 28). Sandwiched between those dates will be a road trip to Florida to play FIU (Oct. 14) and Florida Atlantic (Oct. 16).
"The C-USA schedule will be challenging as always, and based on the 2015 season, I anticipate the back half of our schedule to be very competitive," Long said. "With our incoming class, and the momentum of the season we just had, I know the players are eager to get started in attacking the fall schedule."
The 2016 C-USA Tournament will be played Nov. 2-6 at a site yet to be announced.
2016 Marshall Women's Soccer Schedule
Aug. 12 - vs. Dayton (Exh.)
Aug. 14 - at Ball State (Exh.)
Aug. 19 - at Purdue
Aug. 21 - at Michigan
Aug. 26 - at Longwood
Sept. 2 - vs. IUPUI
Sept. 4 - vs. ETSU
Sept. 9 - at Ohio
Sept. 15 - vs WKU*
Sept. 18 - at William & Mary
Sept. 22 - at North Texas*
Sept. 25 - at Southern Miss*
Sept. 30 - at Louisiana Tech*
Oct. 7 - vs. UAB*
Oct. 9 - vs. Middle Tennessee*
Oct. 14 - at FIU*
Oct. 16 - at Florida Atlantic*
Oct. 20 - vs. UTEP*
Oct. 28 - vs. Charlotte*
Nov. 2-6 - Conference USA Championship (site to be announced)
* - Indicates Conference USA Opponent
The complete Marshall women's soccer schedule with times (subject to change) can be viewed online.
For all the latest information about Marshall women's soccer, follow @HerdWSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
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