University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Macklin Announces 2006 Soccer Schedule
7/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
July 19, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -
Southern Miss Head Soccer Coach Gail Macklin announced the 2006 schedule today.
The schedule features 17 games in all, including three teams that qualified for the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
"This is the first schedule I did," Macklin said. "In the past, the schedule hasn't been as strong. We don't want to play an easy schedule. You're starting to see my ideas for the program implemented, especially with a tough schedule. Our non-conference schedule is competitive and it will prepare us for Conference USA play.
"There's no hiding. We play Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU. Hopefully the schedule will prepare us for what's ahead."
Eight home matches highlight the schedule, three more than last year. There were six home matches scheduled for last year, but Hurricane Katrina forced the cancellation of one match, resulting in a long, eight-game road streak, as the team did not play a home game in September.
Southern Miss will face four opponents for the first time in 2006, all in Hattiesburg, including Conference USA foes Tulsa and SMU, while also facing Southeastern Conference power LSU and Louisiana Tech, a team the Lady Eagles were schedule to meet last season, but Hurricane Rita forced it to be cancelled. Southern Miss also has a non-conference home game against Murray State.
Conference USA road trips include Houston, Rice, Marshall and East Carolina.
Non-conference matches include trips to Middle Tennesee State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Southeastern La., and in-state rivals Ole Miss, a 2005 NCAA Tournament participant and Mississippi State. The Lady Eagles meet Ole Miss for the first time since the 2000 season, and Mississippi State for the first time since 2003.
Southern Miss returns 10 starters and 17 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 4-9-2.
