May 28, 2009
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's soccer team announced its tentative 2009 schedule Thursday, highlighted by a strong and diverse set of opponents that includes four reigning conference champions, eight teams that were in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, and teams from nine different conferences.
"In our tradition of having one of the hardest schedules in the country, we feel this year's schedule will help us prepare for the tough competition in Big 12 Conference and in our quest for a national championship," Head Coach Bryan Blitz said. "To be the best, you have to play the best and that's why people come to Missouri so that they can play one of the better schedule's in the country."
The Tigers kick off their fall campaign Friday, August 21 on the road against a familiar foe as Missouri and Iowa will meet for the seventh straight season. The Hawkeyes lose only two seniors from a 2008 team that recorded the most home wins in school history.
One week later, the MU home opener features another Big Ten Conference opponent in Northwestern. The match is the first of a four-game home streak at Walton Stadium, where the Tigers set a program record with 10 wins last year.
Missouri will then play its next three opponents for the first time in school history, as they face DePaul, Rhode Island and Long Beach State. Long Beach State won its third straight Big West Conference regular season title in 2008 en route to earning their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
September sees the Tigers take to the road as they accept invitations to two weekend tournaments. Mizzou first travels to Alabama to face the host Auburn Tigers and fellow Southeastern Conference rival Vanderbilt before heading to California to take on Loyola Marymount and host UCLA. The Bruins are coming off their sixth straight Pac-10 Conference title and College Cup appearance and finished No. 2 in the nation after going undefeated in the regular season for the first time in school history.
Missouri rounds out its non-conference schedule with Northern Iowa on Friday, September 25 before kicking off Big 12 play against reigning conference regular season champions Oklahoma State two days later.
The 10-game conference half of the schedule has the Tigers travelling to Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Oklahoma and Kansas, while hosting Oklahoma State, Colorado, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Nebraska.
Fans can follow the Tigers' 2009 season all year long on mutigers.com and thisismizzousoccer.com or on the team's YouTube and Twitter web pages.