JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman Women's Soccer Coach Simon Duffy has announced the team's schedule for the upcoming 2018 season which features one of the toughest schedules for the program in recent years.
"If we're standing still, I think we are going backward," Duffy explained. "We need to be pushing forward and pushing the envelope a little bit. I want us to be challenged going forward, with four of the six non-conference opponents are Top-25. We probably have one of the strongest non-conference schedules in the country. I want this team to be tested. Hopefully, if we can go further on in the season, what we see will not be uncommon or will take us by surprise."
The team kicks off the season with matchups against West Florida and Columbus State in Columbus, Ga., two teams that the Eagles had to get through to reach the NCAA Semifinals in Kansas City. C-N topped then 10th-ranked Columbus State Cougars 6-0 to claim the Southeast Region Title. The NCAA Quarterfinal matchup against the Argonauts was a hard-fought 2-0 victory.
C-N will then continue its non-conference set to open up the season with Lees-McRae in town for the home opener on Sept. 5th, and a trip to Lee University a few days later. The Lee Flames come off a season in which they earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
On Sept. 12th, Duffy's group begins its conference schedule with the first three matches on the road. The Eagles return home on Sept. 22nd with a five-game homestand, which included non-conference foe, Belmont Abbey. The Eagles hold a 3-2 record all-time against the Crusaders with the last matchup coming during the 2010 season in which C-N fell 2-0 at McCown Field.
"An important part of the September and October is having those couple off-days, which came for us at the right time last year and it works out perfect for that stretch this year," Duffy mentioned. "The week between games in each of the segments is massive."
The final three games of the season include a visit to Wingate, a team C-N knocked off to win their third-straight SAC Championship, Limestone, and close the season at home against Catawba. The match against the Saints is the first since 2012, a series the Eagles lead 3-1 in the all-time series.
"We have such a great conference, and those games are going to be so tough," Duffy said. "We reiterate the point to our players that we have a target on our back. We may be disliked in our conference for what the team has done the last three years, but getting yourself to the top is tough but staying there is even better."
The Eagles come off a 2017 year in which they earned a trip to the National Championship ending the year 21-1-1 without a blemish on their record excluding penalty kicks while collecting the most wins in a single season in program history.
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