George Washington women’s soccer unveils 2016 schedule
WASHINGTON (Via George Washington University) – The George Washington women’s soccer squad will host 10 matches at the GW Soccer Field on the Mount Vernon campus in a competitive 19-game schedule for the 2016 season, head coach Sarah Barnes announced.
The 2015 Atlantic 10 regular season champion Colonials look to build on a record-breaking season from a year ago, when the Buff and Blue tied a program record with 15 victories and set a new mark with 13 consecutive wins. Reigning A-10 Coach of the Year Sarah Barnes has put together a strong slate in her fifth season at the helm.
“We’re excited for the challenges we’ll face in this year’s schedule,” said Barnes. “We’ll face-off with three of last year’s NCAA tournament teams in Georgetown, LSU and Liberty and play a second SEC opponent at home against Arkansas.”
The Colonials visit Loyola for an exhibition match on Friday, Aug. 12, before the 2016 season opens a week later on the road on Friday, Aug. 19, at Saint Francis for a 3 p.m. match. GW then opens its home season on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 3:30 p.m. as Cleveland State University and the Colonials meet for the first time.
GW then travels to 2015 SEC semifinalist LSU on Thursday, Aug. 25, to face the first of three NCAA Tournament qualifiers in an evening contest. GW will meet the Tigers for the first time in program history.
The Colonials kick off September with a three-match homestand beginning when local rival UMBC visits the GW Soccer Field for a Thursday afternoon matchup (4 p.m.) on Sept. 1. Arkansas then travels to the Mount Vernon Campus in a Sunday matinee on Sept. 4, (12:30 p.m.) for the first-ever meeting with GW. The Colonials wrap the home stand on Thursday, Sept. 8, when GW takes on Delaware (4 p.m.)
The Buff and Blue then face back-to-back 2015 NCAA qualifiers when the Colonials visit 2015 Big South Champion Liberty on Sunday, Sept. 11, before hosting cross-town rival Georgetown on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m.
The Colonials conclude non-conference play on Sunday, Sept. 18, at Towson (2 p.m.) before an 11-day respite. GW then makes the trip to St. Joseph’s on Thursday, Sept. 29, to open Atlantic 10 competition in a 7 p.m. contest. A year ago, the Colonials completed the first perfect, 10-0-0, undefeated, untied conference season in program history.
“Our A-10 lineup is a return of last year’s opponents, which features five of the other seven teams who advanced to the conference tournament,” said Barnes. “We expect that our strong regular season conference performance last season has painted a big target on our backs.”
GW returns home to host St. Bonaventure on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. before hitting the road to face La Salle on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. and Massachusetts on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m.
The Colonials begin a stretch of four home matches in five contests on Thursday, Oct. 13, when VCU visits the District (3:30 p.m.) and Richmond follows on Sunday, Oct. 16 (1 p.m.). GW then heads to Fordham for a Thursday afternoon bout on Oct. 20, at 3:30 p.m., before the Colonials host a Revolutionary Rivalry matchup with George Mason at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23. The Colonials wrap their home season on Thursday, Oct. 27, when Rhode Island travels to the GW Soccer Field for a 3 p.m. match before the Buff and Blue visit Saint Louis for the regular season finale on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m. ET.
The 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship will begin on Nov. 3, at the URI Soccer Complex.
“Our student-athletes are very aware that every game we played could have gone either way last year,” said Barnes. “We recognize that our success will depend on our ability to be ready to compete day in and day out.”
