Miami Announces 2006 Women's Soccer Schedule
May 2, 2006
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Head coach Tricia Taliaferro has announced the 2006 University of Miami women’s soccer schedule which will feature nine NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago as well as matches against six in-state opponents as part of the 18-game slate.
In addition, Taliaferro, who will enter into her fifth season at the helm of the UM program next season, and the Hurricanes will play 10 of the scheduled 18 matches at Cobb Stadium, hosting the likes of national powerhouses Duke and Virginia and cross-town rival Florida International.
“We are excited about the upcoming season and the direction we are headed,” said Taliaferro “and with this schedule, we are going to have the chance to play some of the best teams in the country. We feel as if the caliber of teams in our non-conference schedule should prepare us for play in the ACC, which, from top to bottom, is the best conference in the country year in and year out.”
“We also extremely thrilled about the opportunity to play at least 10 games at home. Anytime you have the chance to play in front of your fans you have to be excited because home field advantage can be a major asset to any program, especially when you are in a league as tough as the ACC.”
Miami opens the season Friday, August 25, taking on in-state rival UCF, who earned a share of the 2005 Conference USA regular season title, in Coral Gables. Following the UCF match, the Hurricanes host 2005 Ohio Valley Champion Samford Sunday, August 27. Last season, the Bulldogs became the first team from the OVC to advance past the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The following weekend, Miami heads to Greensboro, N.C. to take part in the UNC-Greensboro Tournament, facing host UNCG Friday, September 1 and High Point Sunday, September 3.
The Hurricanes return home from the UNCG Tournament to take on cross-town rival Florida International Wednesday, September 6 before heading north Friday, September 8 to face in-state foe Florida Atlantic, who won the 2005 Atlantic Sun Championship with an overall record of 16-4-1. In addition to an appearance at the NCAA Tournament, the Owls are also coming off a season that saw them finish first in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.792), recording 16 shutouts in 21 matches, a mark that ranks fifth all-time in NCAA history.
Miami takes on Sunshine State counterpart, South Florida Friday, September 15 in Coral Gables prior to opening up ACC play on the road against NC State Thursday, September 21 in Raleigh, N.C.
Following the NC State match, the Hurricanes head to Chapel Hill Sunday, September 24 to take on perennial powerhouse and 2005 ACC Champion North Carolina, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2005 NCAA Tournament behind an overall record of 23-1-1.
UM returns home from the Tarheel State to take on ACC opponent Virginia Tech Thursday, September 28 and NCAA Tournament quarterfinalist and ACC Championship runner-up Virginia Sunday, October 1.
The Hurricanes travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass. Thursday, October 5 to face 2005 NCAA Tournament participant Boston College before taking to College Park, Md. Sunday, October 8 for a match against Maryland where Taliaferro, who was a four-year starter for the Terrapins from 1992-95, will return to her alma mater.
|
“Anytime you have the chance to play in front of your fans you have to be excited because home field advantage can be a major asset to any program, especially when you are in a league as tough as the ACC.” Head coach Tricia Taliaferro |
In the final quarter of the ACC Schedule, Miami hosts Clemson, a 2005 NCAA Tournament team, travels to in-state ACC rival and 2005 NCAA Final Four participant Florida State Sunday, October 15 and returns home Sunday, October 22 for a match with Wake Forest, who also made the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
The match with the Demon Deacons kicks off a stretch of three home matches to close out the regular season, including a contest Tuesday, October 24 against North Florida and the regular-season finale against ACC rival Duke Friday, October 27.
The 2006 ACC Championship Tournament is slated to run Wednesday, November 1 through Sunday, November 5 followed by the NCAA Tournament beginning Friday, November 10.
Taliaferro and the Hurricanes, who posted an overall record of 8-11-1 and a 10th-place finish in league play, return 16 letterwinners from a 2005 team that included 10 true freshmen. Among those returnees include nine players who started at least half of the 20 matches and eight of the nine players who registered at least one goal a year ago.
For ticket information, please contact the Hurricane Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES or visit online at hurricanesports.com.
Complete Printable Schedule in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
