Fairfield University head women's soccer coach Jim O'Brien announced the Stags 20-game 2010 slate today. The campaign features three NCAA Tournament participants from a year ago, with two of those sides – Boston College and Harvard – part of the Stags 10-game home slate.
“We have compiled an excellent schedule that will truly test us, from start to finish,” said O'Brien, who is beginning his sixth season at the helm of the Stags. “Our non-conference foes combined to win nearly 100 games last season, and as a group finished with a winning record. That level of competition will certainly be advantageous for us in preparation for what is always a grueling conference slate.”
The Stags will play four of their conference games at home this season, as they host Manhattan, Saint Peter's, Canisius and Niagara. The October 10 game versus the Peahens is Kick it For the Cure, with all fans wearing pink receiving $1 admission to the game. Proceeds from those ticket sales will be donated to Susan G. Komen For The Cure ®. Meanwhile, the October 24 contest versus the Purple Eagles will be senior day, as senior captains Nicole Cavallaro and Casey Frobey play the final home game of their career. Fairfield begins MAAC play at Iona on October 1, and will conclude the regular season at Marist on Halloween. The Stags will play at Loyola, Rider and Siena, in conference play, as well.
The 2010 slate gets under way on August 22 as the Stags travel to Rhode Island to complete a home-and-home series with Bryant. The home opener comes five days later as Fairfield welcomes 2009 America East runner-up Binghamton to Lessing Field.
The Stags will spend Labor Day weekend on our nation's capital at the four-team D.C. Invitational. Fairfield takes on American, of the Patriot League, in the opener, and will then play host Georgetown on Labor Day. The Hoyas posted a 12-6-2 mark in the Big East a year ago, finishing the regular season sixth in the NSCAA Northeast Region poll.
Highlighting the home portion of the non-conference schedule will be Boston College, of the Atlantic Coast Conference, when it visits on September 10. The Eagles, who advanced to the round of eight in the NCAA Tournament last season, as they posted an 18-4-2 record and finished the year ranked seventh in the nation.
Fairfield remains home to host Atlantic-10 member Massachusetts two days later, before heading across Long Island Sound for a September 16 game at Stony Brook. It is then back home for back-to-back games, September 19 versus Army and September 23 versus in-state foe, Hartford.
The Stags close out the non-conference portion of the slate with another home game versus an NCAA Tournament participant, Harvard, on October 5. The Crimson posted a 9-7-1 mark in winning the Ivy League a season ago. Fairfield plays another Ivy League member, Princeton, on September 28, in its final road non-conference game of the year.
The 2010 MAAC Championship will be played November 5-7 at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore. The top-four regular season finishers will meet at the Ridley Athletic Complex with the tournament champion earning a berth into the NCAA Tournament Field. The Stags have qualified for the MAAC Championship in each O'Brien's five seasons, winning the title in 2005 and 2008.
