TicketsMen?s Soccer Releases 2004 Schedule
C-USA Champs to Face Five NCAA Qualifiers
Contact: Geoff Wiswell
6/15/2004
Head Coach Hylton Dayes |
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Five matches against teams which appeared in the NCAA Tournament last year highlight the University of Cincinnati's 2004 men's soccer schedule.
?I think it?s a very challenging schedule,? said head coach Hylton Dayes, ?especially considering how young we are. If we do well with this schedule it will put us in a place to challenge for the C-USA title and another NCAA bid.?
The Bearcats, defending Conference USA champions, open with exhibitions against in-state rivals Dayton (Aug. 21) and Wright State (Aug. 25), before opening the regular season by hosting IUPUI (Sept. 1).
UC then faces three road contests against NCAA qualifiers in the next four matches. At the Nike Soccer Classic (Sept. 10-12), the Bearcats will face Virginia and SMU, teams which finished last year ranked No. 22 and No. 17, respectively. One match later, UC travels to face regional power Oakland (Sept. 18).
The annual contest with crosstown rival Xavier (Sept. 22) leads into C-USA play. The Bearcats open league play with two home matches before a grueling three-match road swing. UC plays at UAB (Oct. 2), DePaul (Oct. 6) and Charlotte (Oct. 9) in succession.
Two more home contests set up a trip to Saint Louis (Oct. 20), who finished last year ranked No. 8 and who fell to the Bearcats for the first time ever last year.
?Saint Louis is definitely the class of the league,? said Dayes, ?but UAB and Charlotte will both be tough.?
UC hosts a non-conference match with Bowling Green (Oct. 24) and then travels to Lexington, Ky. for a rematch with Kentucky (Oct. 27), which eliminated the Bearcats from the NCAA Tournament in a shoot-out.
The Bearcats close the regular season by hosting Louisville (Oct. 31) and Marquette (Nov. 7) before heading to Louisville for the C-USA Tournament from November 11-14.