FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team has announced their 18-match schedule of the 2022 season which will begin with a home match against St. Francis Brooklyn on August 18. The schedule will feature two non-conference teams that racked up double-digit wins in 2021 including a visit to Princeton, a NCAA Tournament squad from a season ago. Fairfield will also play in 10 home games at Lessing Field with five during the non-conference slate.
 
"I am really happy with our schedule for 2022," Head Coach David Barrett said. "I think it again represents what we want to do here with our program. We have some really challenging non-MAAC opponents to test us in the first six weeks of the season before we start in with MAAC play. I like the opportunities that we have in front of us in the fall, and while it is going to be a lot of hard work to prepare, I know we are very excited to get going."
 
The Stags will play their first two games of the season on Lessing Field when they welcome St. Francis Brooklyn for the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 18 before hosting UMass that Sunday. The Minutewomen are coming off an 11-win campaign that saw them go 5-3-2 in the Atlantic 10. They return three All-Conference selections from 2021, including their leading scorer in rising sophomore Ashley Lamond and their starting goalkeeper Fiona Kane. This will be the first matchup between the two schools since 2011.
 
Fairfield will then hit the road to close out the month of August when they travel to Holy Cross on Thursday, Aug. 25 before heading to Princeton on Sunday, Aug. 28. This match against the Tigers will be the first against former Fairfield Associate Head Coach Sean Driscoll, who coached for the Stags from 2010-14. Since going to Princeton, Driscoll has led the squad to three Ivy League titles including a 15-3 record in 2021.
 
The Stags will enjoy their longest homestand of the season when they welcome Bryant (Thursday, Sept. 1), Sacred Heart (Sunday, Sept. 4), and Northeastern (Thursday, Sept. 8). Bryant and Sacred Heart both finished in the top-three of the NEC last year with six conference wins apiece. Northeastern would finish with a 9-9-1 record and a spot in the CAA Championship Game.
 
Fairfield will close out their non-conference play at Dartmouth on Sunday, Sept. 11.
 
The Stags will then turn their attention to conference play starting with a match at Siena on Saturday, Sept. 17. Fairfield will then have to wait a week before their next MAAC game which comes at home against Marist on Saturday, Sept. 24. Fairfield will also host Quinnipiac (Oct. 1), Manhattan (Oct. 5) before finishing the season against Niagara (Oct. 22) and Iona (Oct. 26). The Stags will travel to play Mount St. Mary's (Sept. 28), Rider (Oct. 8), Saint Peter's (Oct. 12), and Canisius (Oct. 15).
 
Fairfield is coming off a nine-win campaign, their second-straight full winning season under David Barrett. The Stags have also advanced to the MAAC Semifinals during the last two full seasons.