New women's soccer schedule released

Women's soccer
Domenic Poli

The Massachusetts women’s soccer team’s 2007-2008 regular season schedule has been released.

The first action of the season is scheduled for Aug. 31, against Maine in Kingston, R.I.

The Minutewomen will look to put an early down payment on a playoff spot, as the nasty competition of the Atlantic 10 Conference slowly erased their postseason dreams last season. UMass finished 11-6, with a 5-4 conference record.

What first looked like a bright season for the Maroon and White took an unpleasant turn around the midway point as it ultimately could qualify for the playoffs. Though it won six of its final seven games, the Minutewomen failed to finish high enough in the A-10 standings.

Last year’s season ended for UMass after a 1-0 victory over Duquesne on Oct. 29. The Cristina Adams scored the game's lone goal in 75th minute, off an assist from senior captain Stephanie Barrett.

It was the final collegiate game for Barrett, as well as co-captain Nadia Villarroel and Liz Weinsten.

UMass’ hopes for a playoff berth had all but dwindled away two days earlier, when it lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Saint Louis. Julia Bradenberg scored the Billikens' lone goal with eight minutes left in the game.

The Minutewomen will try to turn things around this season, however, and vie for some revenge against the teams that dealt them losses in 2006 – Saint Louis, Rhode Island, Dayton, LaSalle, Vermont and New Hampshire. Though they pulled off a solid season last year the A-10 proved that it takes something special to earn a spot in the playoffs.

Of UMass’ six defeats, three of them – against Saint Louis, URI, and Vermont – were one-goal games.

If the Minutewomen want to make it into this year’s postseason, they – along with coach Jim Rudy – will need to dig down deep come late August because they know that in November, one of those games decided by a single goal could be the difference between going on and going home.