EMORY, Va. – Emory & Henry College Head Women's Soccer Coach Linda Schirmeister-Gess, now in her fifth season, is pleased to announce the Wasps' slate of 18 matches for the fall of 2016. E&H will play eight non-conference matches to start the season before finishing things off with 10 contests against Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponents.
Emory & Henry will open the season in Arlington, Virginia, playing a pair of matches at Marymount University. The Wasps will take on the Chatham University Cougars on Friday, September 2 and face the host Marymount Saints on Saturday, September 3.
Six of the next eight matches for E&H will be played at Fred Selfe Stadium beginning with the non-conference rivalry matchup against Ferrum College (Wed., Sept. 7 - 7 p.m.). The Wasps will take on Brevard College on Friday, September 9 at 7:00 p.m., before taking to the road for a non-conference date against Greensboro College.
Emory & Henry closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule with three straight home games, playing Sweet Briar College and Milligan College on back-to-back days (Sat., Sept. 17 - 1:00/Sun., Sept. 18 - 5:00 p.m.). The Wasps face Eastern Mennonite University on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m.
"We are looking forward to back-to-back home games early in the season, to really show how far this team has come and the amazing potential we have for the season ahead," said Gess. "We have a fantastic incoming group of freshmen who will contribute heavily to a strong core of players that we are returning. Having established our defensive solidity last season, we look forward to adding some more goals to our play."
While Sweet Briar and EMU are members of the ODAC, the conference has changed its scheduling matrix for the 2016 season. E&H decided that its histories with EMU and SBC warranted having them on the schedule as non-conference opponents.
"With the unique changes to the ODAC conference schedule this year we are excited to see what the season holds for us," commented Gess. "As always conference play will present some extremely competitive and tough games, and our out of conference games will prepare us accordingly for that."
A road match at Bridgewater College on Saturday, September 24 opens league play and then the Wasps will have nearly a week to prepare for a home contest against Virginia Wesleyan College on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Emory & Henry will travel to Lynchburg College (Wed., Oct. 5) and Shenandoah University (Sat., Oct. 8) before a three-match homestand.
E&H welcomes Hollins University to Southwest Virginia on Wednesday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. Randolph College will visit Fred Selfe Stadium on Friday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m., to kick off the Homecoming Weekend festivities. An afternoon (4:00 p.m.) game against Roanoke College on Wednesday, October 19 sets up the Wasps' final road swing.
"We are excited to host three Friday night games, where the atmosphere in the stadium is always electric. The Friday night Homecoming game is certainly a highlight we are looking forward," Gess added.
Emory & Henry will make the trip to Ashland, Virginia to face Randolph-Macon College on Saturday, October 22. The last road game of the regular season is set for Wednesday, October 26 at Guilford College.
The Wasps will host Senior Day on Saturday, October 29 when Washington and Lee University comes to visit Fred Selfe Stadium. The 1:00 p.m., match will be the first in a doubleheader with the E&H Men's Soccer Team.
The 2016 ODAC Women's Soccer Tournament will be played during the first week of November with dates and format yet to be determined.
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-photo courtesy of Rick Elliott