ATLANTA - Six matches against teams in the top 100, including three 2010 NCAA tournament teams, highlight the Georgia State 2011 women's soccer schedule, announced Monday by head coach Domenic Martelli.
Looking to build off their impressive 12-7-2 season in 2010, the Panthers will play eight home matches at Panthersville, including a first-ever meeting with Villanova, along with 12 away games. In the latter part of the season, Georgia State will come head-to-head against the 11 other teams in the competitive Colonial Athletic Association, a league ranked 12th in the nation in RPI strength.
"Our 2011 schedule really places us in the position to be challenged and improve even more from where we ended the season last year," said Martelli. "We completed last season at the CAA tournament and we are expected to perform just as well, if not better, this year. We will be playing some of the top teams spanning six conferences that will help to prepare us to bring our A-game when meet the CAA opponents in the second half of the season."
Georgia State's 2011 season begins with a pair of games against brand new opponents. The Panthers start off the fall slate Aug. 21 on the road in unfamiliar territory as the team competes against UT-Martin for the first time in GSU history. The team then returns to Atlanta for the home opener at Panthersville Aug. 26 for its first-ever meeting with Big East school, Villanova.
Following their home opener, the Panthers have three road games beginning with a battle in Macon, Ga., against in-state foe and NCAA tournament team Mercer and continuing in Jacksonville, Fla., at the Fun in the Sun Tournament Sept. 2-4 when the team will go head-to-head with the University of North Florida and Jacksonville.
"The tournament in Florida is a great opportunity to get away and be among some of the top colleges in Florida and the Atlantic Sun conference," said Martelli. "That will be a big weekend for us because North Florida and Jacksonville are both very talented teams and will present the potential to bring us two good win against teams with high RPIs."
On their return from the Sunshine State, the Panthers will encounter two more in-state rivals in Georgia Southern and the University of Georgia. GSU will play host to the Eagles Sept. 9 before traveling to Athens, Ga. to try and pick up its first-ever victory against the Southeastern Conference powerhouse. The team concludes its non-conference schedule with another split weekend, first away at UNC-Asheville Sept. 16 and then back home at Panthersville against Gardner Webb Sept. 18.
Georgia State's conference season gets off to a tough start, playing five of its first six matches on the road. The team opens CAA play with three away games beginning Friday, Sept. 23 with Drexel followed by matches at Delaware and William and Mary. The Panthers then make a brief trip back to Atlanta to take on Old Dominion Oct. 2, before heading back on the road for games against 2010 CAA Champion and NCAA tournament team James Madison and VCU on Oct. 7 and 9, respectively.
"One of the biggest weekends for us will be the first two CAA games against Delaware and Drexel," said Martelli. "Performing well in those two games will give us the momentum to get an early lead in the conference season, which will prove to be important in the very difficult race to be one of the top teams in the CAA at the end of the season."
The final stretch of the Panther's season includes a four-game homestand against Towson, George Mason, NCAA tournament team Hofstra and Northeastern. The regular season concludes on the road at UNC-Wilmington Oct. 27.
Georgia State then hopes to once again continue into the postseason by earning a berth into the CAA Championship beginning Friday, Nov. 4. This season, the tournament will include the top six teams in the conference, as opposed to just the top four as in previous seasons, and will be played at the top-seeded institution.
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