George Washington University Athletics
Men's Soccer Announces 2009 Schedule
6/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
June 30, 2009
2009 Schedule | 2009 Schedule (PDF) 
WASHINGTON, DC - Entering its 45th season of varsity competition, the George Washington men's soccer team will face five teams that participated in last year's NCAA Tournament and host nine matches at Mount Vernon Athletics Complex as part of its 2009 schedule released by head coach George Lidster Tuesday.
The nine-match non-conference schedule is highlighted by a Sept. 11 visit to California, which lost in the third round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual national champion Maryland last season, and a trip to ACC Tournament finalist and NCAA participant Virginia on Sept. 22. GW last played Virginia in 1994, the year the Cavaliers captured the last of their five national titles.
The Colonials also will face defending Atlantic 10 champion Dayton and 2008 NCAA participant Massachusetts as part of their nine-match home slate, which marks the most home games for the program since 2004, as well as visit Saint Louis, which played in its record 45th NCAA Tournament last fall.
GW opens its season at the ninth annual DC College Cup at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, VA. The two-time defending DC Cup champion Colonials battle Patriot League semifinalist American in the opening match Sept. 2 at 5:00 pm, then face Howard three days later at 5:00 pm.
Division II University of the District of Columbia kicks off the Mount Vernon home schedule Sept. 8, three days before GW travels to Berkeley, CA, for its showdown against Cal. The Colonials return to Mount Vernon Sept. 16 to face Atlantic Soccer Conference champion Longwood for the fourth time in as many seasons, then prepare for a nighttime showdown at Virginia six days later.
GW completes its non-conference agenda with back-to-back home games against Northeast Conference finalist Mount St. Mary's Sept. 27 and Navy Sept. 30, followed by a trip to Rider Oct. 4. The Colonials defeated both the Mountaineers and Midshipmen by one-goal margins in 2008.
The Atlantic 10 portion of the schedule begins with four consecutive road matches, starting with a 7:00 pm match at Charlotte Oct. 9 and Saint Louis Oct. 11, then La Salle (Oct. 16) and Fordham (Oct. 18) the following weekend.
The Colonials round out regular-season play with five straight home matches, beginning with Xavier (Oct. 23) and the defending A-10 champion Flyers (Oct. 25), Richmond (Oct. 31), Rhode Island (Nov. 6) and the 2007 A-10 champion Minutemen (Oct. 8).
The six-team A-10 Championship will take place at URI's Soccer Complex in Kingston, RI, Nov. 12-15.
GW returns 23 players from a 2008 team that finished 8-6-3 overall and above .500 for the second straight season. The Colonials tied for sixth in the 2008 A-10 standings with 14 points (4-3-2), but missed out on the conference tournament by a one-point tiebreaker.
