Crittenden Announces 2014 Soccer Schedule
4/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
April 22, 2014
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin women's soccer head coach and 2013 Southland Conference Coach of the Year Wally Crittenden announced the 2014 schedule for the Ladyjacks on Tuesday morning, a schedule that features some of the nation's top programs in non-conference play.
SFA will play an 18-game regular season schedule, with 10 matches on the road and eight at the SFA Soccer Field. The Ladyjacks will also play a Purple verse White scrimmage and an exhibition with Rice in Nacogdoches, before kicking off non-conference play.
"When piecing together the 2014 schedule, it was important that we continue to push our competitive experience forward and create chances to enhance our post-season resume in case we need an at large-bid come November," Crittenden said. "When I look back at 2013, we had a team that should have played in the NCAA Tournament. We performed well enough over the course of an entire season to be considered for a bid. At the end of the day though, it wasn't quite enough and that still stings everyone associated with our program, especially our players and staff.
"We are hungrier than we have ever been and this team is excited to be measured against some of the best teams in the country in preparation for Southland Conference play and hopefully, the NCAAs. This schedule is consistent with where we are as a program and will allow us to continue to move forward. Every game matters next season and there is no doubt in my mind that we will come into fall camp prepared and excited to get the season started."
SFA will open the season Aug. 22 at home with Oregon State, the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The Ladyjacks will then begin a five-game road swing with stops at Texas A&M in College Station (Aug. 24), in Austin for neutral sites games versus Nevada (Aug. 29) and Arkansas (Aug. 31), and then two games in the Louisiana at both LSU (Sept. 8) and Louisiana-Monroe (Sept. 12). SFA will be seeking its first win over the Aggies in program history, while the meeting with Nevada is another first in program history. The Ladyjacks are 1-2 against Arkansas, with their last meeting coming in the 2010 season, while SFA is 1-5 all-time against LSU. The Ladyjacks defeated the Tigers 4-0 last season in a statement win at home. Both Texas A&M and Arkansas advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2013 NCAA Soccer Tournemant.
SFA will then return to Nacogdoches, Texas, to close out its non-conference schedule with a Sept. 14 meeting with Southern, the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
The Ladyjacks will begin defense of its three-peat Southland Conference titles on Sept. 21 at Northwestern State. In SLC action, SFA will play five road matches in all, with visits to Houston Baptist (Oc. 3), McNeese State (Oct. 10), Abilene Christian (Oct. 12) and Nicholls State (Oct. 19).
The Ladyjacks will host Lamar (Sept. 26), Sam Houston State (Oct. 5), Southeastern Louisiana (Oct. 17), Central Arkansas (Oct. 26), Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (Oct. 31) and Incarnate Word (Nov. 2).
The 2014 SLC Tournament will be held Nov. 6-9 at the Lamar Soccer Complex on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
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