Miami Announces 2008 Women's Soccer Schedule
March 25, 2008
CORAL GABLES – Head coach Tricia Taliaferro has announced the 2008 <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>University of Miami women’s soccer schedule, featuring matches against 12 teams that reached the NCAA Tournament a season ago. All 12 of those were ranked or received votes in 2007’s final polls.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The 20-match schedule includes four contests versus in-state opponents and 10 home matches at Cobb Stadium. The Hurricanes will play 10 non-conference matches and 10 Atlantic Coast Conference matches. Last season the ACC sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament, including Miami for the first time as an ACC member.
Miami opens the 2008 season with three games against in-state foes, beginning Aug. 22 with a road match at Steston, a team that the Hurricanes defeated 2-1, last season. The Hurricanes open their home schedule with in-town rival Florida International on Aug. 29, before hosting Florida Atlantic two days later. FAU and UM had met every season since Miami’s first season in 1998, but took a year hiatus from the series in 2007.
The month of September begins with a two-match road-trip to face Sun Belt semi-finalist Arkansas-Little Rock on Sept. 5 and then Conference USA Champion Memphis on Sept. 7. The Tigers will also be the first NCAA Tournament team the Hurricanes will face in 2008. The two road matches start a seven-match stretch where Miami will face an opponent for the first time in program history.
The `Canes will return to Cobb Stadium for three-straight home matches, beginning with the reining Big Ten Champions and second-round NCAA Tournament team Purdue Boilermakers, on Sept. 10. Eastern Michigan comes to Coral Gables two days later, followed by BYU on Sept. 16. BYU won the Mountain West Conference Championship last season before falling to Texas in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Coach Taliaferro’s squad will make their longest road trip of the year to face perennial power UCLA and NCAA Tournament team San Diego, with both matches being played in Los Angeles. Last season UCLA was ranked No. 1 for much of the season before falling to eventual National Champion USC in the College Cup Semi-Finals. Miami will face the five-time defending Pac-10 Champions on Sept. 19, before facing San Diego in Sept. 21.
Consecutive home matches open ACC play for Miami on Sept. 25 versus Virginia Tech and Sept. 28 against Virginia. In last season’s opening round of the ACC Tournament Miami and Virginia played to a scoreless tie but the Cavaliers advanced on penalty kicks. Virginia advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament before being ousted by UCLA.
After opening the ACC schedule with the two home matches the Hurricanes hit the road for two straight, taking on Boston College (Oct. 2) and Maryland (Oct. 5). Miami defeated then No. 4 Boston College last season, setting a school record for the highest ranked team UM has beaten.
On Oct. 12 Miami will host the 2007 College Cup runner-up in the Florida State Seminoles. After a road match to the NCAA second-round Clemson Tigers on Oct. 16 the Hurricanes will host two versus Duke on the 23rd and Wake Forest on the 26th. Duke advanced to the College Cup quaterfinals last season. WakeForest fell to Connecticut in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Both Duke and WakeForest defeated Miami by two goals on their home fields in 2007.
The 2008 regular season ends on the road for the Hurricanes, Oct. 30 in Raleigh, N.C to face NC State, then Nov. 2 in Chapel Hill, to take on perennial power and 2006 National Champion North Carolina. Miami defeated the Tar Heels for the first time in program history in 2007 and will look to complete their 2008 regular season in similar fashion.
The ACC Tournament is set for Nov. 5-9 in Raleigh, while the NCAA Tournament will begin Nov. 14, concluding with the Women’s College Cup, also in Raleigh. Dec. 5-7.
The Hurricanes look to build on last season’s NCAA Tournament bid and 9-7-5 overall record, a season in which Taliaferro was named the ACC Coach of the Year. Brittney Steinbruch will look to duplicate her freshman campaign where she won the conference freshman of the year award after registering 16 goals on the season.
For ticket information, please contact the Hurricane Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES or visit us online at hurricanesports.com.
August: 22 at Stetson, 7 p.m.; 29 vs. Florida International, 7 p.m.; 31 vs. Florida Atlantic, 1 p.m.; September: 5 at Arkansas-Little Rock, 7 p.m.; 7 at Memphis, 1 p.m.; 10 vs. Purdue, 7 p.m.; 12 vs. Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m.; 16 vs. BYU, 7 p.m.; 19 at UCLA, 5 p.m.; 21 vs. San Diego (Los Angeles, Calif.), 11 a.m.; 25 vs. Virginia Tech*, 7 p.m.; 28 vs. Virginia*, 1 p.m.; October: 2 at Boston College*, 7 p.m.; 5 at Maryland*, 1 p.m.; 12 vs. Florida State*, 12 p.m.; 16 at Clemson*, 7 p.m.; 23 vs. Duke*, 7 p.m.; 26 vs. Wake Forest*, 1 p.m.; 30 at NC State*, 7 p.m.; November: 2 at North Carolina*, 1 p.m.; 5-9 at ACC Tournament (Raleigh, N.C.).
*ACC match; All times eastern and subject to change; All home matches played at Cobb Stadium.
