Women's soccer announces 2014 slate

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's soccer team is excited to announce its 2014 regular season schedule, a slate of 19 contests, including nine at the friendly confines of the Bulldog Soccer Field.

"Our team and the coaching staff are excited about this schedule and are ready to compete for a top-four finish in the Northeast Conference standings this fall," said head coach Chris Flint. "We put together a strong non-conference calendar that will prepare us for yet another intense season in the NEC."

Bryant's 2014 campaign will feature 19 regular season games; one exhibition, 11 non-conference games, and eight NEC matches. The Bulldogs will have an opportunity to play four new opponents this season with a preseason match vs. Siena, and contests at Iona, vs. Akron, and at Colorado. The Black and Gold will also play at Northern Colorado at the end of the September, a team they played their first-ever Division I match against on Aug. 22, 2008 (Bryant won, 3-2).

After an exhibition vs. Siena on Sunday, Aug. 17, the Bulldogs will open regular season action vs. a trio of familiar faces, opening with Hartford on Friday, Aug. 22 in Smithfield (4 p.m.) before heading to Maine on Aug. 24 and hosting UMass Amherst on Aug. 28.

"The three early August matches are all against teams we had hard-fought, 1-0 losses to last season," added Flint. "It will be vital for us to have strong showings early on, ensuring we get off to a solid start."

Bryant will host Holy Cross to open September on the 2nd, before hitting the road for matches at URI (Sept. 4), at new opponent Iona (Sept. 7), and at New Hampshire (Sept. 11). The Black and Gold will get an opportunity to host another unfamiliar opponent in Akron on Sept. 14 after the Zips play BU that Friday.

The following weekend, the Bulldogs will take their third trip since 2008 to The Centennial State when they do battle with Colorado on Sept. 19. The Buffaloes advanced all the way to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 after earning upset victories vs. Denver in the first round and BYU in the second. Following Bryant's tilt in Boulder, the Black and Gold will close out the month in Greeley, Colo., with a match against Northern Colorado on Sunday, Sept. 21.

Bryant wraps up non-conference action vs. Brown on Oct. 1, before opening NEC play at Sacred Heart on Sunday, Oct. 5. The following weekend, the Black and Gold return home to host defending conference champ Saint Francis U. on Oct. 10, before visiting Wagner on Oct. 12. The Bulldogs continue with the Friday/Sunday routine with a trek to Mount St. Mary's on Oct. 17, before a tough turnaround back to Smithfield to host Fairleigh Dickinson on Oct. 19.

Bryant wraps up the regular season with matches at Central Connecticut on Oct. 24 before hosting LIU Brooklyn (Oct. 31) and Robert Morris (Nov. 2) on the final weekend. The NEC Tournament will be held on Nov. 7 and 9.

For the complete 2014 Bryant women's soccer schedule, click here.