Seven home matches, three NCAA foes highlight 2009 Golden Eagle soccer schedule
A highly competitive non-conference schedule, three teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year, and seven home matches highlight Tennessee Tech’s 2009 soccer schedule, announced this week by second-year head coach Becky Fletcher.
Tech hosts Middle Tennessee Aug. 21 to open
season
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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A highly competitive non-conference
schedule, three teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last
year, and seven home matches highlight Tennessee Tech’s 2009
soccer schedule, announced this week by second-year head coach
Becky Fletcher.
Among the challenges facing the Golden Eagles will be road matches
against Texas State and Belmont, both teams that reached
post-season play in 2008. Those contests come during an early
seven-match road stretch that Fletcher says will test her young
team.
“Our non-conference schedule is very competitive, and we
have a lot of road matches,” Fletcher said.
“We’re really going to have to learn how to play on the
road against tough teams, but my hope is that it will prepare us
for the conference schedule.”
The Golden Eagles open the campaign with two home matches in
August, hosting Middle Tennessee on Friday, Aug. 21, and UT
Chattanooga the following Friday, Aug. 28. Both matches begin at 4
p.m.
“MTSU is a very tough opening match,” Fletcher said.
“They are usually one of the top teams in the Sun Belt
Conference, which is a very competitive league. They are a solid
squad, from their top player all the way through the entire roster,
and thy play good soccer.
“We haven’t played Middle Tennessee in several years,
and I’m glad to get them back on the schedule. I think it can
be a good in-state rivalry.”
The second week brings UTC to town.
“We have a long-standing rivalry with Chattanooga,”
Fletcher said. “It’s been a good series for as long as
I can remember. They’re out of the Southern Conference, which
is another strong conference.
“I like that we have a week between our first two
matches,” she added. “After that, we really get started
with a couple matches every week.”
The road stretch begins Aug. 30 at Radford, and includes contests
against Alabama State, Texas State, Belmont, UNC Asheville,
Marshall and Kentucky. After visiting Alabama State in Montgomery
on Sept. 4, the Golden Eagles meet Texas State on Sept. 6 in a
match in Birmingham, on Samford University’s field.
Tech visits Belmont on Sept. 11 and UNCA on Sept. 13, then plays
two contests in the University of Kentucky Tournament. The Golden
Eagles face Marshall on Sept. 18 and Kentucky on Sept. 20.
“We’re familiar with UNC Asheville and Radford, so
there’s a little bit of a rivalry there,” Fletcher
said. “I think the UK Tournament will be a good experience
for the team. playing in a tournament, staying in one location. We
play MAC and SEC teams, and being a part of the tournament
atmosphere will be good for us.”
Tech returns home to open OVC play, hosting UT Martin on Sept. 25
and Murray State on Sept. 27.
“Murray State won the regular season OVC title last year and
UT Martin was third, so both are quality teams,” Fletcher
said. “They were among the teams that set the standard last
year. Based on last year’s results, we open with two of the
best in the conference, back-to-back.”
After a road match at Eastern Kentucky Oct. 2, Tech hosts Morehead
State on Oct. 4. The MSU Eagles won the OVC Tournament last season
and are the third team on Tech’s schedule that advanced to
NCAA play.
Tech hosts a non-conference encounter with Longwood University on
Oct. 8, then welcomes Austin Peay on Oct. 11 for the final home
match of the regular season.
The Golden Eagles go back on the road to close out the schedule,
visiting Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville
State in OVC matches, and close with a non-conference trip to
Lipscomb
“Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri have really been
among the top teams on the OVC throughout the history of the
conference,” Fletcher said. “Day-in and day-out, they
are very solid programs.
“Lipscomb is another good rivalry,” she added.
“They’re nearby, and a lot of our in-state girls have
played with or against their players throughout their careers.
They’re always a very organized, very competitive team.
It’s a good match to end the regular season, and hopefully it
will be a springboard into the conference tournament.”
The OVC Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 5-8, with the winner
advancing to the NCAA Tournament, beginning Nov. 13-14.
Admission is free for Tech’s home soccer matches at the
campus field next to Eblen Center.
