Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Soccer Faces Difficult 2004 Schedule
7/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
July 21, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State's women's soccer team will not have to travel far in its first five matches of the 2004 season. MSU's quest for its fifth straight winning season and second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years under head coach Tom Saxton begins Friday, Aug. 27, with a battle against Colorado College in East Lansing at 4 p.m.
"I've always been a believer that playing a difficult schedule can be a positive," said Saxton. "This year's schedule is one of our most difficult ever. Not only does playing a schedule like this make us better as a team, it can also help catch the eye of the NCAA Tournament selection committee."
State, which finished with a 12-8 record in 2003, then hits the road for the first time only two days later. It travels to Western Michigan, a team that advanced to the second round of the NCAAs last year, Aug. 29 before visiting Bowling Green Sept. 3. Returning to East Lansing, the Spartans take on Kentucky Sept. 5 and Detroit Mercy Sept. 7 in a small homestand while Piscataway, N.J., will be the site for two matches Sept. 10 and 12. MSU first meets up with Rhode Island and then Rutgers, another second round NCAA squad, as the Spartans face both teams for the first time ever.
The Big Ten season opens up Sept. 17 in East Lansing against an Illinois team that finished last season ranked No. 18. The highly-contested rivalry with Michigan, ranked No. 16 at the end of 2003, also takes place at Michigan State with this year's match-up occurring Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. The overall series between the two teams is tied, 8-8-2. Other home matches include Northwestern, Ohio State (which reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2003), reigning Big Ten champion Penn State, Eastern Michigan and the season finale vs. Akron Oct. 30.
The Green and White face two more NCAA Tournament teams in Purdue and Oakland as both matches take place on the road. The 2004 Big Ten Championships will be hosted by Ohio State Nov. 4-5 & 7.
2004 Michigan State Women's Soccer Schedule Date Opponent Site Time Aug. 27 COLORADO COLLEGE EAST LANSING, MICH. 4 p.m. Aug. 29 Western Michigan Kalamazoo, Mich. Noon Sep. 3 Bowling Green Bowling Green, Ohio 4 p.m. Sep. 5 KENTUCKY EAST LANSING, MICH. 11 a.m. Sep. 7 DETROIT MERCY EAST LANSING, MICH. 4 p.m Sep. 10 Rhode Island Piscataway, N.J. 5:30 p.m. Sep. 12 Rutgers Piscataway, N.J. 2:30 p.m. Sep. 17 ILLINOIS EAST LANSING, MICH. 4 p.m. Sep. 19 NORTHWESTERN EAST LANSING, MICH. Noon Sep. 24 Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 8 p.m. Sep. 26 Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. 2 p.m. Oct. 1 OHIO STATE EAST LANSING, MICH. 4 p.m. Oct. 3 PENN STATE EAST LANSING, MICH. Noon Oct. 8 Indiana Bloomington, Ind. 8 p.m. Oct. 10 Purdue West Lafayette, Ind. 2 p.m. Oct. 15 Wisconsin Madison, Wis. 8 p.m. Oct. 17 Oakland Rochester, Mich. 1 p.m. Oct. 22 MICHIGAN EAST LANSING, MICH. 3 p.m. Oct. 24 EASTERN MICHIGAN EAST LANSING, MICH. Noon Oct. 30 AKRON EAST LANSING, MICH. Noon Nov. 4-5 & 7 Big Ten Championships Columbus, Ohio TBAHome Matches in CAPS All Times Eastern
