Thursday, June 14, 2007

TUSCULUM ANNOUNCES 2007 WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE

2007 Women's Soccer Schedule

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum College has released its 2007 schedule and once again, the Pioneers will face a very tough slate of competition. Tusculum will take on an 18-match schedule featuring five teams that advanced to postseason tournament play, while four ended the season nationally ranked.

The combined record of those 18 teams in 2006 was 220-117-15 (.646), including a 148-68-5 (.681) record of non-conference opposition.

Tusculum enjoyed its best postseason run in school history in 2006 as TC went 14-3-3 while advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third time in four years. TC advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history while ending the 2006 campaign ranked No. 8 in the country.

Tusculum will open the regular season Aug. 23 when it hosts in-state foe Milligan. The Lady Buffs went 10-8 last season and advanced to the semifinals of their conference tournament. It will be the fifth recorded meeting between the two squads and the first encounter since 2004.

The Pioneers will host the Tusculum College Tournament, Aug. 25-26 on the Greeneville campus as TC welcomes Mars Hill, Bethel (Tenn.) and West Georgia. The Pioneers will entertain West Georgia on the 25^th, followed by Bethel on the 26^th. It will be inaugural meeting with each for the Pioneers. West Georgia went 9-7-1 and finished fourth in the Gulf South Conference, while Bethel enjoyed a stellar campaign going 14-5-1 and finished 13^th in the country in NAIA.

TC will hit the road for the first time Aug. 31 and Sep. 2 for a pair of matches in Columbus, Ga. against 2006 NCAA Tournament participants Columbus State and Tampa. CSU ended the season ranked 20^th in the country with an impressive 18-4-1 record. One of those losses was a 3-0 setback at Tusculum. The Cougars were eliminated in the opening match of the NCAA Southeast Regional.

The meeting with Tampa will be a rematch of last year's NCAA national quarterfinal. The Spartans defeated the Pioneers 5-0 to advance to the Final Four in Pensacola, Fla. UT posted an 18-3-1 worksheet and finished the season listed fourth in the nation.

Tusculum returns to Greeneville Sep. 5 for the first of three matches at home. TC will face Pfeiffer to kickoff the home-stand, the third meeting between the two schools and the first encounter in seven years. The Falcons are coming off a 16-5 season while tying for third place in Conference Carolinas (formerly Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference).

King College makes the short trip to Greeneville on Sep. 8. Tusculum has won all seven meetings with the Tornados, including last year's 4-0 Pioneer win.

Tusculum opens South Atlantic Conference play on Sep. 12 when they host cross mountain rival Mars Hill. TC has won 11 straight matches against the Lions. MHC posted a 12-8-1 season and finished third in the league. On Sep. 19, TC will travel to Lincoln Memorial University. It will be the 14^th overall meeting on the pitch between the two Tennessee schools, but the first as SAC members. The series is tied 6-6-1, but the Pioneers are 6-0-1 in the last seven encounters including a thrilling 3-2 decision last year as the Pioneers rallied from a 2-0 deficit. LMU went 9-6-1 in 2006.

On Sep. 22, Tusculum will be at Brevard College, the first meeting between the two schools since 1991. Brevard is making the transition to NCAA II and has been accepted as a provisional member of the South Atlantic Conference.

In a rematch of last year's NCAA Southeast Regional final, Tusculum will host archrival Carson-Newman on Sep. 26. Tusculum has won the last three meetings with the Lady Eagles including two wins last year in Jefferson City. In the regular season encounter, TC jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but had to hold off a furious C-N rally in a 3-2 victory. Both teams played a scoreless match in regulation of the Regional final, before All-Region forward Kelly Barron knocked home the winning-goal in the 108^th minute to send Tusculum to the Elite Eight for the first time ever. Carson-Newman won the SAC Championship for the third time in four years, going 17-2-1 and ended the season ranked No. 10 in the country.

Tusculum hosts Newberry on Sep. 29 at Pioneer Field. The Lady Indians went 8-8-2 last season, including a scoreless draw against Tusculum. The Pioneers lead the all-time series against Newberry, 11-0-1.

Queens University of Charlotte, champions of Conference Carolinas, comes to Tusculum Oct. 5 in the inaugural encounter between the two squads. The Royals went 14-5 last year, while advancing to the conference tournament final.

On Oct. 13, Tusculum will be at conference foe Catawba. The Indians went 12-4-4 while finishing fourth in the conference. One of those four ties was a scoreless draw against the Pioneers. Of Tusculum's 18 opponents, Catawba is the only team to boast a winning record all-time against the Pioneers (8-2-3).

Two days later, TC will travel to Savannah, Ga. to face Armstrong Atlantic State on Oct. 15. The Pioneers and Pirates met twice last year, both 1-0 victories by the Pioneers, including the opening match of the NCAA Tournament. AASU went 18-4-1 in 2006.

On Oct. 21, Tusculum will be at Mount Olive for its inaugural meeting with the Trojans. Mount Oliver enjoyed a 15-7 campaign while tying for third place in Conference Carolinas.

TC will wrap up the regular season with a pair of SAC battles. On Oct. 24, Tusculum will host Wingate in the regular-season home finale for the Pioneers. The Bulldogs went 11-8 a year ago, including a 2-1 overtime upset of the Pioneers. TC will end the regular season Oct. 27 with a road match at Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears are coming off a 3-13-1 campaign, but battled the Pioneers in a 1-0 setback at Tusculum.

The 2007 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament will open first round action Oct. 30 with matches played at the top four seeds. The quarterfinal winners will advance to Rock Hill, S.C. for the semifinals (Nov. 2) and final (Nov. 4) of the tournament. Since 2000, Tusculum has won fourth SAC Tournament titles (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005).

The NCAA II Tournament will begin Nov. 9 and will culminate to the national semifinal and final which will be held Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 in Orange Park, Ala.

- TC -