High Point University men’s soccer announced its 10-game spring schedule Tuesday, which includes games against Div. I opponents North Carolina, Marshall and Virginia Tech as well as Div. II national runner-up, Lees-McRae.
“Each season we set goals of getting better individually and collectively during the spring development period,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “We believe that the game portion of our spring schedule will help to foster that team development as we look to make a strong run in the Fall of 2010.”
The spring season kicks off on February 28 when the Panthers host both Pfeifer and NCAA semifinalist North Carolina in Vert Soccer Stadium. HPU will first play Pfeiffer at 3 p.m. before facing UNC under the lights at 6 p.m.
The following week, High Point will travel to nearby Winston-Salem to play three games at BB&T Park on March 6. The Panthers will play Marshall University out of Conference USA at 11 a.m., NCAA Division II national runner-up Lee-McRae at 1 p.m., and Francis Marion at 3 p.m.
After the team returns from spring break, HPU will host SportsEd, a travelling team from England at the Vert Soccer Stadium on Monday, March 15. Kick-off for the game is set for 7 p.m.
On March 20, the Panthers head north to Axton, Va., where they will play both Virginia Tech and Longwood at the Smith River Sports Complex Showcase. HPU will face off against the Hokies of Virginia Tech at 11:15 a.m., before playing Longwood at 2:45 p.m.
High Point wraps up its spring season on March 28, when it hosts the PTFC College Showcase at Phillips Park in High Point, N.C. The all-day event features 12 teams, including DI squads Virginia Tech and Appalachian State playing on three fields. The Panthers will open the action against Belmont Abbey at 10:30 a.m., before facing off against ASU at 1:30 p.m.
The Panthers return 10 starters from a team which reached new highs in Division I play, going 9-7-2 overall and 5-1-2 in the Big South. HPU returns several top players, led by returning first-team All-Big South member and Big South Freshman of the Year, Shawn Sloan, who led HPU with six goals and 14 points last season. Also returning are NSCAA third-team All-South Atlantic region forward Karo Okiomah, second-team All-Big South members Todd Ray and Fejiro Okiomah and All-Freshman team member Patrick Donahue.
HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY
MEN’S SOCCER SPRING 2010
| February |
| 28 |
Sunday |
HPU vs. Pfeifer |
VERT SOCCER STADIUM |
3:00 p.m. |
| HPU vs. University of North Carolina |
VERT SOCCER STADIUM |
6:00 p.m. |
| March |
| 6 |
Saturday |
HPU vs. Marshall University |
BB&T Park – Winston-Salem, N.C. |
11:00 a.m. |
| HPU vs. Lees-McRae |
BB&T Park – Winston-Salem, N.C. |
1:00 p.m. |
| HPU vs. Francis Marion |
BB&T Park – Winston-Salem, N.C. |
3:00 p.m. |
| 15 |
Monday |
HPU vs. Sports Ed (England) |
VERT SOCCER STADIUM |
7:00 p.m. |
| 20 |
Saturday |
Smith River Sports Complex Showcase |
| HPU vs. Virginia Tech |
Axton, Va. |
11:15 a.m. |
| HPU vs. Longwood University |
Axton, Va. |
2:45 p.m. |
| 28 |
Sunday |
PTFC College Showcase |
| HPU vs. Belmont-Abbey |
Phillips Park |
10:30 a.m. |
| HPU vs. Appalachian State University |
Phillips Park |
1:30 p.m. |