Women’s Soccer Releases 2012 Schedule

PEMBROKE – Embarking on one of the toughest schedules in the history of the program, the UNCP women's soccer team hosts seven home matches and faces five teams that made appearances in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, to highlight the 18-game 2012 women's soccer schedule released Tuesday by head coach Lars Andersson.

Andersson said, "Eleven of the 18 teams that we play have appeared in the NCAA Division II National Tournament, and five of the six teams that qualified for the 2011 National Tournament from the Southeast Region appear on our schedule. It is our belief that in order to be the best, you must play the best."

UNCP will open up its 2012 campaign on the road against Mount Olive on August 31 before returning home on September 5 in a battle against Belmont Abbey. The Lady Braves will take to the road on September 7 to open Peach Belt Conference action with Georgia Southwestern before facing Tusculum on September 12.

The Black and Gold welcome Montevallo and Clayton State in a two-game home stand on  September 15 and 22, respectively, before taking on Barton on the road on September 24 and returning home on September 26 to face Armstrong. UNCP will make its longest stand away from home with four road games from September 29 to October 9.

The Lady Braves will be welcomed home again on October 12 when they host PBC foe North Georgia, on October 20 when they welcome the newest addition to the PBC, Young Harris, and finally on October 27 to close out home action with PBC rival Columbus State in a 1 p.m. contest. UNCP faces Wingate (Oct. 17), Lenoir-Rhyne (Oct. 22) and USC Aiken (Oct. 24) on the road in the October.

Andersson said, "The two times we qualified for the National Tournament, in 2008 and 2010, we were selected as an at-large team partly due to our strength of schedule. Nothing but positives can come from challenging yourself against the top teams in the region and we, as coaches and players, look forward to the challenge and opportunity that lies ahead."

Andersson said, "We can't wait for the season to kick off, and we hope our fans and supporters are equally excited and will show up to support the Braves at home and on the road."

2012 Women's Soccer Schedule (HTML)