Moon Township, Pa. (June 8, 2009) ? The Robert Morris University women's soccer team will take the pitch in 18 games as part of its 2009 schedule. Looking to improve on last year's 6-12-0 record, the Colonials will play against competition from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), the Atlantic 10 (A-10), the Horizon League, the Big East and the Patriot League in addition to their Northeast Conference foes.
The Colonials kick off the 2009 campaign with two exhibition matches. Robert Morris travels to Division II NCAA tournament qualifier Slippery Rock on Aug. 19, and returns to take on the RMU Alumnae Aug. 22.
Robert Morris' first contest of the season comes via the Duquesne University Tournament. The Colonials open against Manhattan (Aug. 28) and then play the host Duquesne Dukes Aug. 30. They stay in the area to host their home opener against Niagara Sept. 4, at 5 p.m. before taking to the road.
The Colonials begin a five-game road trip with a pair of games in Washington, D.C. They will meet George Washington for the first time in team history Sept. 11, and then play Georgetown for the first time since the 1997 season on Sept. 13.
Robert Morris continues its road trip with two games in Ohio, squaring off against Cleveland State (Sept. 18) and Youngstown State (Sept. 20). They then return to Pennsylvania to open their NEC schedule at Saint Francis (Pa.) Sept. 25.
The Colonials then begin a three-game home stand. They kick things off in a non-conference contest against American on Sept. 2, and then tack on a pair of conference games against Sacred Heart (Oct. 2) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Oct. 4) at home.
A weekend trip to New York to take on two NEC foes follows their home stand. The Colonials take the pitch against 2008 regular season NEC champs Long Island Oct. 9, and then play at Wagner Oct. 11.
Robert Morris hosts three games in its return from New York. They'll spend the weekend fighting NEC competition against Monmouth (Oct. 16) and Mount St. Mary's (Oct. 18). After a week off, the Colonials celebrate Senior Day against future NEC foe Bryant Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. Bryant is set to join the NEC in 2012 when they reclassify to Division I.
The Colonials close out the regular season with a two-game weekend trip to Connecticut. They take on Quinnipiac Oct. 30, and then have a showdown against the 2008 NEC tournament champion and NCAA qualifier Central Connecticut State Nov. 1.
Robert Morris returns its two top scorers from last season ? sophomore Jess Sharik and junior Kathleen Caggiano ? as well as nine members of last season's starting lineup. Entering his ninth season coaching the Colonials, head coach John Kowalski owns a career coaching record of 40-102-8 at Robert Morris. The Colonials finished seventh in the final 2008 NEC standings.
