Hempstead, N.Y. – A matchup against College Cup finalist Penn State and a home game against Boston College in a NCAA Tournament rematch will highlight the non-conference slate as Hofstra Women's Soccer head coach Simon Riddiough announced the 2013 schedule today.
In Colonial Athletic Association play, Hofstra will host UNC Wilmington, the College of Charleston, William & Mary and James Madison. The Pride will play league road games at Northeastern, Delaware, Drexel and Towson.
Hofstra will face a schedule in which the 17 opponents finished a combined 19 games over .500 (171-142-29) in 2012 and 11 teams were .500 or better.
“We're excited to play a challenging schedule that will help us get ready for the start of conference play and put us in position to possibly get an at-large bid if we play well,” Riddiough said.
Hofstra is coming off an 11-9-2 showing in capturing the CAA championship and earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 2012. The Pride will look to defend their conference crown starting on Aug. 23 when the Pride opens the season against Syracuse in the Penn State Invitational at 5 p.m. Two days later, Hofstra will face a Nittany Lions squad that went 21-4-2 and advanced through the first five rounds of the NCAA Tournament before falling to North Carolina in the national championship game. Game time for the conclusion of the invitational is set for noon.
Riddiough guided Hofstra to a 7-1 home record last season and will look to sustain the success at Hofstra Soccer Stadium starting with the home opener on Aug. 30 against North Dakota State at 5 p.m. It will be the program's first all-time meeting versus the Bison.
A three-game homestand will continue on Sept. 1 versus Boston College. The two teams met in the first round of last season's NCAA Tournament with the Eagles defeating the Pride, 2-0, in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Pride will then play Marist on Sept. 6 before traveling to play Albany two days later.
Hofstra will conclude the home non-conference schedule on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. before playing St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph's in back-to-back road games. The Pride will then open CAA play with two home games, starting with the league opener against the Seahawks on Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. before facing the newest CAA-member in the College of Charleston at 12 p.m. That game will mark the first-ever league game of any Hofstra team against the Cougars.
The Pride will then play four consecutive road games – its entire slate of CAA away contests – starting on Oct. 5 against the Huskies. The game will bring Hofstra back to the site where it posted a late tying goal before advancing on penalty kicks in the CAA Tournament Quarterfinals. Hofstra will then play at Delaware, Drexel and Towson before ending the regular season with back-to-back home games against CAA regular-season champion William & Mary on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. Hofstra will conclude the regular season versus JMU on Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. The CAA Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 3-10 with the top overall seed hosting the semifinals and championship game.
