Fairfield University head women's soccer coach Jim O'Brien announced the Stags 2009 schedule this afternoon.  The Stags are slated to play 20 games, including eight home games, with five against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foes as they defend their 2008 MAAC Title. 

"We are excited about the upcoming season," said O'Brien, "and are looking forward to seeing where we match up against some great competition.  Our overall goal is to win the MAAC title and once again advance to the NCAA Tournament.  The non-conference slate that we have compiled is a challenging one, and I am anxious to get the team on campus so we can begin play."

The schedule features four teams that played in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, including the season opener against Boston College on Aug. 28.  The Eagles, who won 15 games as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling 1-0 to Florida State.

Fairfield will then take on Seton Hall on the last day of August, before heading west to play in the USF odwalla Nike Classic, September 4-6.  The Stags will play San Jose State, of the Western Athletic Conference and then the host Dons, of the West Coast Conference in the tournament's finale.

America East Conference member, and in-state rival, Hartford is next on the slate, September 10, before the Stags host Bryant University in the home opener under the lights on September 15.  The Stags head back to the road for a Friday night game at Holy Cross, before hosting Stony Brook, of the America East on September 20.

The Stags final three non-conference foes are all 2008 NCAA participants.  Fairfield will travel to Army on September 27 to take on the defending Patriot League champion, before hosting Ivy League member Princeton two days later under the lights.  The team's non-conference finale is on the road at Harvard, which tied its first round NCAA game a year ago, falling by PK's.

A home night game on September 25 versus Iona will kick-off the Stags defense of the 2008 MAAC crown.  Fairfield will host Marist and Siena the following weekend, before traveling to Saint Peter's and Manhattan on October 9 and 11.  Fairfield wraps up the home portion of its schedule on October 16 and 18, hosting Rider and Loyola, before closing out the regular season in Western New York, at Niagara and Canisius, October 23-25.

The MAAC Championship will take place October 29 through November 2 at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.  All 10 teams will participate in the championship, which was won by Fairfield in 2005, the last time it was played in Orlando.  The winner of the final, to be played on Monday, Nov. 2, will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.