May 23, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The UK women’s soccer team has announced its 2011 schedule, which is highlighted by nine home games.
In addition to the nine-game home schedule, the Wildcats will face five NCAA Tournament teams on the road including defending Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan, defending Atlantic-10 tournament champion Dayton and SEC perennial powers Auburn, South Carolina and Florida.
“We continue to progress as a program, and while we certainly have seen that on the practice field in the spring and in the weight room, we know we’re judged by what we do in the fall,” head coach Jon Lipsitz said. “This year’s schedule provides some tremendous pre-conference tests for us with tournaments in Louisville and in Lexington. A trip to Dayton to take on a team that is year-in and year-out tops in their league will be a nice measuring stick as well. Add on to all of that the rigors of league play and it should be an exciting season, one where UK fans and soccer fans in general will see the progress we’ve made thus far.”
The Wildcats kick off year three of the Lipsitz Era on the road, traveling to Rochester, Mich., to take on Oakland. Kentucky returns home for a pair of games including the home opener on Aug. 23 against Eastern Kentucky.
The Cats will then participate in the first of back-to-back tournaments, traveling to Louisville to participate in the Courtyard by Marriott Airport Cardinal Classic where they will take on Central Michigan and Baylor.
UK returns home to host the University of Kentucky Tournament, where they will host in-state rival Louisville and Southeast Missouri.
The Wildcats will hit the road for a five-game road streak beginning Sept. 17 at Dayton followed UK’s SEC opener at Auburn on Sept. 23.
Kentucky will have its SEC home-opener on Oct. 7 against Arkansas.
In addition to the Razorbacks, UK will also host LSU, Tennessee and Georgia. The Cats close out their home season on Senior Day, hosting Ole Miss on Oct. 23.
For the ninth straight season, the SEC will hold its postseason tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama. This year’s tournament is scheduled for early November, running from Nov. 2-6.