Missouri State University women’s soccer head coach Rob Brewer has announced the finalization of his team’s 2009 schedule.
The Bears will play seven regular season and three exhibition home matches at Plaster Sports Complex, including three against Missouri Valley Conference foes. Missouri State will also host Saint Louis University, Stephen F. Austin, Oral Roberts and UMKC, as part of a busy September schedule.
This season, Missouri State will begin at Oklahoma on August 21 before travelling to Arkansas for the Razorback Invitational to face Austin Peay and tournament host Arkansas to end August. Another road test for the Bears at UALR, September 4, before the home opener September 8 against Saint Louis. Stephen F. Austin, Oral Roberts and UMKC round out the home stand in mid-September before the Bears travel to Lawrence, Kan., for the Kansas Invitational against South Dakota State and San Diego.
“It will be a great test for our team leading into conference as we play a Big 12 team in Oklahoma, an SEC school in Arkansas and Saint Louis which is always a good team,” Brewer said, as he begins his 14th season leading the program. “Plus we play South Dakota State and San Diego, two tournament teams from last year, at the Kansas Invitational right before conference. We will be battle tested leading into conference play.”
Missouri State will begin conference play at home against UNI to end September. Creighton and Evansville present road tests to begin October, before another home match versus Drake on October 18. The Bears travel to Indiana State and non-conference SIU-Edwardsville before wrapping up the regular season at home against Illinois State on October 29. Creighton will once again host the State Farm MVC Tournament on November 6-8.
“The league looks to be very balanced this year,” said Brewer. “We will play a lot of quality opponents during conference play.”
Missouri State will begin the fall slate with exhibition home matches against Drury, Missouri Southern and Central Missouri on August 13, 14 and 16, respectively.
The Bears were 10-7-2 last season, going 3-3-0 in conference play. Missouri State advanced to the semi-finals of the State Farm MVC Tournament in 2008 before falling to the number one seed and eventual champion, Evansville.
