Hokies women's soccer releases 2017 schedule

Tech looks to return to NCAA Tournament

July 18, 2017

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech women’s soccer coach Chugger Adair has announced the 2017 schedule, a challenging slate that features seven teams that competed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

The nine-match home slate is highlighted by a game on Oct. 19 against national semifinalist North Carolina. The Hokies finished the 2016 season 11-5-3 and had a final RPI of 38, but were overlooked for the NCAA Tournament, for the first time in nine seasons.

“This is one of our more challenging schedules that we’ve ever had at Virginia Tech,” Adair said. “We open on the road against two very good West Coast Conference teams, which will be a really big test for us to start. We have a smattering of very good teams, like William & Mary and a couple of SEC teams in Georgia and Tennessee. Our schedule is balanced and very difficult in the non-conference, which will test us and prepare us for the ACC.”

Following home scrimmages with Liberty on Aug. 8 and UNC Charlotte on Aug. 12, the Hokies travel across the country to open the season in the University of San Diego Tournament. The Hokies will play the host Toreros on Aug. 18 and then face Pepperdine on Aug. 20. Pepperdine made the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

The home opener is the following week, as the College of Charleston comes to Thompson Field on Aug. 25 for a 7 p.m. match. This match begins a string of four consecutive home matches. Georgia comes to Thompson Field on Aug. 27 at 2 p.m., followed by William & Mary on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. and Longwood on Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.

Tech then hits the road for four consecutive matches. A trip to the Volunteer State closes out the non-conference portion of the season, as the Hokies play at ETSU on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. and at Tennessee on Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

“The ACC is going to be the best conference in the country, once again,” Adair added. “We have 10 games and some very good opponents. We play Florida State this year, who we didn’t play last year and we have Carolina coming back in to Blacksburg, which will be another big game for us, as well as on the road at Duke. Every game in the conference is going to be very challenging. There are big matches throughout the 20-game schedule.”

The ACC season begins on Friday, Sept. 17, as the Hokies travel to Durham to take on NCAA quarterfinalist Duke. Tech closes out the road matches at Pittsburgh on Sept. 21.

Tech returns to Thompson Field for a pair of home ACC matches, beginning with Florida State Sept. 24 at 1 p.m., followed by Boston College on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.

Tech then travels to three consecutive road matches, beginning on Oct. 5 at Wake Forest. The next two matches are against 2016 NCAA Tournament teams, first at Clemson on Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. and then at Notre Dame on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.

The regular season ends with three home matches. Tech hosts perennial power North Carolina on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. and then 2016 NCAA Tournament team NC State on Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. The Hokies host Syracuse on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. to close out the regular season.

The top eight teams will advance to the ACC Tournament, with home sites utilized in the quarterfinals. The semifinals and finals of the ACC Women’s Soccer Championship will return to Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in 2018.

For updates on Virginia Tech women's soccer, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_WSoccer