Murray State University Athletics
Nine-Game Home Slate Highlights
5/12/2004 5:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Racers will open the 2004 season, their fifth as a varsity program, on Friday, Aug. 27 at Cutchin Field in Murray against regional rival Western Kentucky. MSU will also play five of its eight Ohio Valley Conference games at home, and Minielli is pleased with the 2004 slate.
"I think this is probably the best overall schedule we've been able to put together since I've been here," said Minielli. "We're going to have a very young team this fall, and I think this schedule will be a good test for them."
Outside of the season-opener with the Hilltoppers, the Racers will also face non-conference foes Louisville, Drake and Valparaiso at home, along with Evansville, IPFW, IUPUI and Southwest Missouri on the road. MSU will also face Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe on a neutral field at the UTM Tournament on Sept. 10 and 12 in Martin, Tenn.
"With a young team, I really wanted to put together a schedule that would prepare them for the demands of conference play, and I think we've done that with this schedule," Minielli said. "We don't have a top-20 team on the schedule this year, and I did that on purpose. I wanted to give our team a chance to learn and mature while facing competition similar to that of the OVC."
MSU is tentatively set to play the first of its two exhibition games on Aug. 18.
