Men's Soccer Announces 2011 Schedule
May 11, 2011 | Men's Soccer
May 11, 2011
Louisville, Ky. - University of Louisville head coach Ken Lolla has announced the release of the 2011 men's soccer schedule. The 2011 slate features opens at home with a rematch of the Cardinals' Elite Eight opponent UCLA. Louisville will face nine opponents that played in the postseason last year, including three opponents the Cards faced during their historic run to the 2010 NCAA National Championship game.
"We are very excited about the opportunity this year's schedule provides us to reach our potential," said Lolla. "It is a very challenging schedule that will prepare us well for the end of the season."
The Cardinals will play 17 regular season games along with two exhibition games. Louisville will begin exhibition play on Aug. 14 at Saint Louis. The Cards will then face College Cup participant Michigan in an exhibition match on Aug. 20 in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Louisville will open up the 2011 season with a home match against UCLA on Aug. 27 at 7:00 p.m. The game is a rematch of the Cards' thrilling come-from-behind win over the Bruins to advance to their first College Cup appearance. The Cardinals will then travel to Wake Forest on Sept. 2 for an 8:00 p.m. match. Louisville will then face College Cup opponent North Carolina on Sept. 4 for a 7:00 p.m. match.
The Cards will return to Cardinal Park for a three game home stand which begins with IUPUI on Sept. 9 at 7:00 p.m. and Central Arkansas on Sept. 11 at 2:00 p.m. Louisville will begin a five game tough five game stretch with teams that advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. The Cards begin that stretch at home on Sept. 17 against Butler, a team that advanced to the NCAA second round last year.
Louisville will then go on the road to face Sweet 16 opponent Ohio State on Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m. The Cardinals will kick off BIG EAST action on Sept. 24 as they travel to NCAA second round participant Notre Dame. The Cards will return home on Oct. 1 to face Connecticut, a team that also advanced to the NCAA second round. Louisville will wrap up the tough stretch with an out of conference game against Sweet 16 participant Indiana in Bloomington on Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
The Cards will return to the friendly confines of Cardinal Park for a two game home stand against Syracuse on Oct. 8 and Cincinnati on Oct. 12. The Cards will then travel to St. John's on Oct. 15 for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Then Louisville will return to the friendly confines of Cardinal Park for another three game stint. The Cardinals wrap up the regular season at home with matches against South Florida on Oct. 19 and Rutgers on Oct. 22 before traveling to DePaul on Oct. 26. The regular season will wrap up on the road at Villanova on Oct. 29 at 1:00 p.m.
The BIG EAST Conference Championship will take place Nov. 2-5 at home sites with the Final Four competing Nov. 11-13 at Red Bull Stadium in Harrison, N.J.
The Cardinals return nine starters from a last season which finished the season with a 20-1-3 record and an NCAA Runner-up finish. Louisville won the BIG EAST Red Division for the second straight year with a perfect 9-0 record. The Cardinals also won the BIG EAST Tournament and earned the top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
