June 27, 2006

ST. LOUIS - First-year head field hockey coach Marcie Boyer today announced a 17-match schedule for the 2006 campaign. The slate is highlighted by matches against 2005 NCAA Tournament qualifiers Central Michigan, Ohio State and Richmond, as well as regional rivalry games with Lindenwood and Missouri State. In all, the Bills play seven games at home and 10 on the road, including five-consecutive road dates to end the year.

"We have a non-conference schedule that will help us to achieve our goal of qualifying for the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship," Boyer said. "It will be challenging and rewarding, as I expect us to have some quality wins under our belt before the grind of the conference season."

Boyer and the Billikens make their regular-season debut on Sun., Aug. 27, against Missouri State at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton, Mo. SLU then embarks on a five-match roadswing, which includes back-to-back contests at Central Michigan on Sat., Sept. 2, and Sun., Sept. 3. The following weekend, the Billikens travel to Muncie, Ind., for a neutral-site match with Pacific on Fri., Sept. 8, and a date with host Ball State on Sat., Sept. 9. Before returning to its home turf, SLU makes a trip to Missouri State to face the Bears on Wed., Sept. 13.

Ohio State, which qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2005, visits on Sun., Sept. 17, to kick off a six-game homestand. SLU then hosts Lindenwood and Robert Morris on Fri., Sept. 22 and Sun., Sept. 24, respectively. The Billikens' final test before A-10 play will be Sat., Sept. 30, at home against Kent.

Because of a rotating schedule, SLU will play two of their seven conference games at home. The Billikens entertain La Salle on Fri., Oct. 6, then host West Chester on Sun., Oct. 8, for Senior Day. SLU then begins a stretch of three-consecutive weekends on the East coast when they travel to UMass on Fri., Oct. 13, and Rhode Island on Sun., Oct. 15. The Billikens spend a weekend in Philadelphia to face Saint Joseph's on Fri., Oct. 20, and Temple on Sun., Oct. 22. The regular season concludes on Sun., Oct. 29, with a match at defending A-10 champ Richmond.

The 2006 Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Championship will be hosted by the University of Richmond on Nov. 3-5. The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament are Nov. 11-12 with sites to be determined. The NCAA Championship will be held Nov. 18-20 on the Wake Forest campus in Winston-Salem, N.C.