UMBC

Junior goalie Mo Van Vlerah

BALTIMORE—The UMBC women’s soccer team kicks off its 2010 campaign on Friday, Aug. 20, against Delaware State, third-year head coach Alyssa Radu announced today.

After hosting the Hornets, the Retrievers will hit the road for four straight games against Drexel (Aug. 22), Longwood (Aug. 27), Campbell (Aug. 30) and George Washington (Sept. 3).

UMBC’s non-conference slate also features home games against Delaware (Sept. 8) and George Mason (Sept. 15) and road trips to American (Sept. 19) and MAAC champion Loyola (Sept. 22). The Retrievers’ 4 p.m. game against the Patriots, who finished the 2009 season ranked seventh in the Mid-Atlantic region, on Sept. 15 will be a doubleheader with the UMBC men’s team, which hosts La Salle at 7 p.m.

The Retrievers open America East Conference play on Sunday, Sept. 26, at Vermont, while their first league home game is Thursday, Oct. 30, against three-time defending America East champion Boston University. UMBC also hosts Maine (Oct. 7), Stony Brook (Oct. 10) and Binghamton (Oct. 14) – the teams which finished second, third and fourth in the 2009 America East regular-season standings – in consecutive games, while traveling to New Hampshire (Oct. 3), Albany (Oct. 17) and Hartford (Oct. 21).

“The America East sets high scheduling standards, and this year’s schedule is no exception,” Radu said. “For players that come into our program, they are assured of playing against many of the top teams in our region, along with our very competitive America East schedule. They look forward to the opportunity to compete against or local rivals year in and year out.”

The America East Championships will feature the same format as last season, with the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds hosting the quarterfinals on Thursday, Oct. 28, and the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds hosting the semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 31. The highest remaining seed will then host the title game on either Saturday, Nov. 6, or Sunday, Nov. 7.

The Retrievers look to return to the six-team conference tournament for the first time since 2005.

“We have a very talented veteran group returning who has worked all spring on their development and is looking forward to the incoming players that will complement them and contribute to the team,” Radu said. “Last season’s team gained valuable experience and has a much different approach and understanding of what it takes to compete at this level.”