Evansville announces 2018 slate featuring 19 contests
The University of Evansville women’s soccer team and head coach Krista McKendree announced their 2018 schedule featuring 19 contests, including a pair of exhibitions.
After a 2017 campaign that saw the Purple Aces amass a 6-11 overall record, Evansville returns 81% of its goal-scoring from a season-ago and returns all 1,533 minutes in goal.
“I’m excited for August, we had a very good spring and I am looking forward to that momentum continuing in the fall,” said McKendree. “I think our schedule has the competition to prepare us for our conference play which is what we want.”
The Aces open the 2018 season August 8 with a road exhibition at SIU Edwardsville before concluding their preseason slate with an exhibition against Eastern Illinois on August 12 at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
To open the regular season, Evansville travels to Southeast Missouri State on August 16 before returning home and continuing action against Ohio Valley Conference competition with an August 19 showdown with Austin Peay in the Aces’ home-opener. On August 23, UE plays host to Western Kentucky before facing a pair of teams from the Volunteer State in UTÂ Martin (road)Â and Tennessee Tech (home) on August 29 and August 31, respectively.
Following the matchup with the Golden Eagles, the Aces set out on a three-game roadtrip against the Miami RedHawks (September 2), Butler (September 6), and IUPUI (September 9). The string of opponents from Indiana continues with a home matchup with Purdue Fort Wayne on September 14 before heading back out on the road to challenge Saint Louis on September 16.
Evansville opens its Missouri Valley Conference slate on September 22 when the Aces face Indiana State at Arad McCutchan Stadium to kickoff a three-game homestand. At the midway point of the homestand, Evansville battles Valparaiso on September 29 before closing it out on October 5 against UNI.
Three of the Aces last four matches of the regular season are on the road with UE traveling to take on reigning conference champion Drake on October 13 followed by a matchup with Missouri State on the road on October 17. The Aces hit the homestretch of the schedule on October 21 in UE’s home finale against Illinois State before closing out the regular season at Loyola on October 25.
The 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament will open on October 28 at campus sites with the semifinals and finals played November 2 and 4 in Chicago, Ill. hosted by Loyola.
“We are very much looking forward to getting the ladies back on campus in August,” said McKendree. “Our returners have put in some extremely good work that has paid dividends for them and we are eager to see what the incoming class is going to add.”
