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June 16, 2009

2009 Schedule

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Looking to build off its record-setting 2008 campaign, the St. Bonaventure women's soccer team unveiled its 2009 schedule on Tuesday, announced by fourth-year head coach Manoj Khettry.

With a team chalk full of underclassmen, the Bonnies totaled 11 wins last season, including a 6-4-1 mark in the Atlantic 10, and made the program's second-ever appearance in the Conference's postseason tournament. Even more impressive is the fact that the Brown and White returned all 20 players of last year's squad, while adding three more in the spring signing period.

"With our entire team returning and having had a rigorous spring, which included a fantastic trip to Italy over Spring Break, I believe our players are motivated and eager to continue to take St. Bonaventure women's soccer to new heights," said Khettry, the reigning A-10 Coach of the Year.

The nine-game non-conference schedule features seven teams that advanced to their respective Conference Tournaments and four teams that won nine or more games. As a group, the nine opponents finished with a combined 83-74-21 record in 2008.

St. Bonaventure will be tested from the start, as it welcomes Big East member Syracuse to McGraw-Jennings Field for its home opener on Saturday, August 22. The Bonnies will end the month of August on the road with a pair of games in Michigan, the home state of juniors Anna Cunningham and Marilyn Wargo, against Central Michigan (Aug. 28) and Oakland (Aug. 30). The Chippewas and Grizzlies won a combined 21 games last season and both advanced to the postseason.

The first weekend of September will feature a pair of home contests against Big 4 rivals Canisius and Buffalo. The Griffs are also fresh off an 11-win season that featured the program's first MAAC Tournament berth since 1994. The Brown and White and Canisius will kick-off the weekend on Friday, Sept. 4, while the Bulls will visit two days later on Sept. 6.

A two-game trip through Ohio opens a four-game road swing to end the non-conference schedule. Junior Nicole Markert along with sophomores Emily Buccilla, Kaitlin Krisko and Chelsea Smetzer will get a chance to play in front of their family and friends when the Bonnies head to Bowling Green (Sept. 11) and Toledo (Sept. 13). The Falcons return 22 players from last year's 12-6-4 team, while Toledo posted a school record 16 wins while winning the MAC Tournament and participating in the NCAA Tournament.

The Bonnies will wrap-up their non-conference schedule with a Friday night tilt at Colgate on Sept. 18 followed by a Sunday afternoon match at Big East foe Pittsburgh on Sept. 20. The Brown and White picked up a dramatic 2-1 win over the Panthers in Pittsburgh last season.

"This will be the toughest non-conference schedule that we've ever faced," Khettry said. "To play teams that are in the top echelon of their conference is a challenge. The other aspect that makes this non-conference schedule so formidable is that six of the nine games are on the road. There isn't one game that is going to be easy."

A-10 play will commence on Friday, Sept. 25 when the Bonnies open at Rhode Island in a 7 p.m. tilt. St. Bonaventure will then return home two days later for its A-10 home opener against Saint Louis (Sept. 27). Each A-10 school will play a home and away contest over the opening weekend of league action.

A home game against Duquesne (Oct. 3) will open an eight-game month of October. Four of the final six games in October will be on the road, starting with a weekend trip to the city of "Brotherly Love" to take on Temple (Oct. 9) and Saint Joseph's (Oct. 11). A two-game weekend homestand against Dayton (Oct. 16) and Xavier (Oct. 18) will break up the two road swings. The final road trip will feature games at George Washington (Oct. 23) and at Richmond (Oct. 25).

St. Bonaventure will conclude the final weekend of A-10 action at the friendly confines of McGraw-Jennings Field. A 3 p.m. match against La Salle on Friday, Oct. 30 will begin the weekend, while the regular season finale and Senior Day will be on Nov. 1 when the Bonnies host Fordham. Katelyn Shelofsky and Sarah Wolcott are the team's only two seniors.

"Games within the conference are battles regardless of who you are playing," said Khettry. "Based on our success from last year, we will not surprise anyone, so we will have to be consistently good and be ready to play each and every game if we want to return to the Conference Championships again."

The six-team A-10 Tournament will hosted by Charlotte on Nov. 5-8. The top two seeds in the tournament will receive byes into the semifinals, while seeds 3-6 will begin play on Thursday, Nov. 5. The semifinals will be played on Friday, Nov. 6, while the championship will take place on Sunday, Nov. 8.