MATCH 1: SBU BEARCATS (7-9-3 in 2009)
vs #23 QUINCY LADY HAWKS (15-6-1)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 • 12:30 PM
HARRISON STADIUM • SPRINGFIELD, MO

MATCH 2: SBU BEARCATS (7-9-3) at
#10 METRO STATE ROADRUNNERS (21-1-2)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 • 1:00 PM CDT
AURARIA FIELD • DENVER, COLO.

GAME NOTES
DIRECTIONS TO HARRISON STADIUM
SEASON PREVIEW:  SBU | QUINCY | MSCD

LIVE STATS vs QUINCY

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- Due to the inclement weather, the season-opening match against the nationally ranked Quincy Lady Hawks has been moved to Harrison Stadium, on the campus of Drury University. The match has been rescheduled for 12:30 pm on Friday, September 3.

SBU soccer will have a different look from last season, with as many as six potential new starters. Senior Lindsey Boden, junior Kelly Isaac, and sophomore Taylor Vick lead the Bearcats against a pair of non-conference matchups against ranked opponents before kicking off the MIAA schedule. Isaac is SBU's highest scoring returner, netting five goals and three assists last year. Vick and Boden each scored three goals, while Vick also helped out with three assists.

Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Link returns after making 13 starts in goal as a freshman in 2009. Link earned a record of 7-3-2, with four shutouts. Freshman keeper Paige Hemphill looks to challenge Link for the starting spot this year.

Among the rest of the new Bearcats, freshman Ashley Creason will likely start in her first collegiate game. Creason is a 6'2” forward from Lee's Summit, Mo. Creason will help to improve an SBU attack that scored 30 goals last season over 19 games, and recorded just 14 assists, the lowest total for SBU since 2005.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Bearcat head coach Rob Podeyn is preparing for his second season along the SBU sideline. Podeyn led the Bearcats to a 7-9-3 record last year after coming to SBU from Northwood University (Texas), where he captured two conference titles over three years. Podeyn has a career record of 59-61-10 over seven seasons.

Dave Musso begins his fifth season as head coach of the Lady Hawks, where he has compiled a career record of 57-24-4. During the Musso era, the Lady Hawks have yet to miss out on an NCAA Tournament berth. The Bearcats are 1-2-1 against Quincy, after winning last season, 2-1. SBU has gone unbeaten against Quincy, starting with their scoreless tie in 2008.

Adrianne Almaraz begins her third season as head coach of the Roadrunners, where she has led Metro State to back-to-back Rocky Mountain Conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. With an overall record of 41-3-5, Almaraz has yet to lose a regular season RMAC match. As a player, Almaraz was a member of Metro State's 2004 national championship team.

SCOUTING THE LADY HAWKS AND ROADRUNNERS
The Lady Hawks are coming off their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and look to be just as competitive in 2010. Ranked #23 in the NSCAA preseason poll and second in the GLVC preseason coaches' poll, Quincy returns seven starters, in addition to three-time All-American Becky Fleming. Fleming, who was twice named GLVC Offensive Player of the Year, missed all of the 2009 season due to injury. In 2008, Fleming scored 11 goals and recorded four assists. Another All-American, Jenna Boyko, has moved on and the Lady Hawks will look to sophomore Brittany Casey and Aimee Ubriaco to step into the hole made by Boyko's departure. Casey was second in scoring for Quincy with eight goals, while Ubriaco recorded six goals and six assists while receiving All-GLVC Third Team honors. The Lady Hawks will also be missing goalkeeper Toni Eye, who was a four-year starter. Tori Champagne, Danielle Estes, and freshman Jodi Chapie will compete for the starting spot in goal this season.

Metro State kicks off the season ranked #10 in the nation, and return seven starts from last year's 21-1-2 campaign. The Roadrunners have won eight straight RMAC championships, and junior defender Courtney Ryan will look to make it nine. Ryan earned All-American honors in 2009, when she led all defenders in the nation with 15 assists. The Roadrunners lost its top two scorers, but brings back senior midfielder Madison McQuilliams, who had five goals and eleven assists last year.