BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Soccer and head coach Jason Neidell announced the 2013 schedule on Tuesday, highlighted by four first-time opponents and five-consecutive home games at the WKU Soccer Complex to begin the regular season.
The Lady Toppers have won at least nine games each of the last seven seasons and finished with at least six conference wins each of the last seven years.
“As always when looking at our schedule the number one priority is to win the Sun Belt Conference championship and position ourselves for post-season play,” said associated head coach Chris Tinius. “We are looking forward to competing against our league rivals one more time and realize we will be playing with a target on our back.
“Our non-conference schedule should do a great job of preparing us for the challenge within the league by testing our veteran leadership and throwing our big class of newcomers straight into the fire. It would not be surprising at all to see up to half of our non-conference opponents end up in the NCAA tournament as either league champions or at-large teams. This type of competition should help us grow as a team and be very exciting for our fans.”
WKU will open the regular season on Friday, August 23 against first-time opponent Utah at the WKU Soccer Complex. A week later the Lady Toppers will play host to future Conference USA rival Rice at 6:00 p.m. on August 30.
The Lady Toppers will welcome Indiana State to the WKU Soccer Complex on Sunday, September 1 before facing Austin Peay on September 5 and Memphis on September 8.
WKU will then take to the road for one of two three-game road swings on the year. The Lady Toppers will meet Western Carolina in Cullowhee, North Carolina on Friday, September 13 before traveling to Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday, September 15 to face 2012 NCAA Tournament participant Tennessee. WKU concludes the three-game swing with a trip to Belmont on Friday, September 15.
WKU opens Sun Belt Conference play on Friday, September 27 against ULM in the first of four conference games at the WKU Soccer Complex in 2013. WKU closes out the opening weekend of conference play at home against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday, September 29 before traveling to Texas State for the first time on Sunday, October 6.
WKU then returns home to face Troy on Friday, October 11 before traveling to South Alabama on Sunday, October 13. WKU closes out a stretch of playing four of five games on the road with a trip to Arkansas to face Arkansas State on Friday, October 18 and UALR on Sunday, October 20. WKU is a combined 24-1-1 against the two Sun Belt Conference foes from the state of Arkansas in the program’s history.
WKU will hold Senior Day festivities on Friday, October 25 against first-time foe Georgia State before closing out the regular season with a non-conference match at Evansville on Sunday, October 27. It will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the Lady Toppers and Lady Aces.
The 2013 Sun Belt Conference Championships will be hosted by Texas State and be played Nov. 6-10 in San Marcos, Texas. WKU last reached the championship game of the tournament in 2011.
WKU will play two exhibition games in 2013, a home date against Tennessee-Martin on Friday, August 16 and a road match with Morehead State on Sunday, August 18.
WKU finished the 2012 season with a 12-5-3 record and a 7-2-3 record against league opponents. WKU was unbeaten in seven of their final eight matches of the season. WKU has registered 48 wins over the last four years, including a 2011 Sun Belt Conference Championship game appearance.
WKU will welcome a collection of 12 newcomers to the roster in 2013 who have combined to win more than 20 state championships and eight of whom have made a regional or national championship appearance. The team lost five graduating seniors from the 2012 season, including Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year Ali Stahlke, Lauren Crowder, Courtney Rymer, Christen Sims and one of the top scorers in program history, Amanda Buechel.
For complete coverage of WKU Soccer, visit the official website of WKU Athletics at www.wkusports.com.
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