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University of Houston Athletics
Soccer Announces 2011 Schedule
5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
May 13, 2011
HOUSTON - The University of Houston soccer program announced their 2011 schedule Friday afternoon. The slate features ten home games and five matches against NCAA tournament teams in 2010.
"Our goal for the 2011 season is to get our first NCAA bid," said head coach Susan Bush. "The whole team and staff is putting all of our efforts into reaching this goal. Part of playing some better teams is to condition us to do well in conference play."
Last season, the Cougars enjoyed their most successful record in program history at 12-5-4 and advanced to the Conference USA Championships semifinals. Bush was honored as C-USA Coach of the Year for the Cougars efforts. With a number of returning starters coming back off a young 2010 squad, the Cougars are poised for positive results in 2011.
OUT OF CONFERENCE
Houston begins the season with three tournament teams in what is possibly the toughest schedule in program history.
The Cougars open the year with a home contest against Texas (11-6-4 in 2010) on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. The Houston soccer program's first ever home contest was against the Longhorns in 1998 - UT won 1-0.
Following the home match, Houston travels to ACC country as they play at Duke (11-8-4) on Aug. 26 and North Carolina (19-3-2) on Aug. 28. It will be the first time the Cougars have played an ACC opponent.
The North Carolina contest will be a homecoming for coach Bush as she returns to her alma mater where she was a team captain and three-time national champion as a Tarheel from 2000-2004.
"I'm excited to go back and so is the whole team. We're all pumped about our non-conference slate. It's encouraging all of us to work even harder this offseason to get where we need to be for next year."
Following their trip to the east coast, Houston returns to play inside the Houston city limits for seven consecutive games.
North Texas (12-7-2) visits Houston on Sept. 4 and then the Cougars then square off against Texas Southern (5-12-0) on Sept. 9. UH defeated TSU 7-0 last season and hold a 4-0 series record with 43 goals scored and just one allowed.
LSU (8-8-5) comes to Houston on Sept. 11. The last time these two teams faced, they played to a 0-0 draw in Houston in 2007.
The Cougars travel across town to face Houston Baptist (7-13-2) on Sept. 14. The Cougars defeated the Huskies 7-0 in the season-opening exhibition game in 2010.
Louisiana-Lafayette (10-11-0) is the final out of conference tune up for the Cougars as the Ragin' Cajuns come to Houston on Sept. 16. UH came away with a 2-0 victory last season and holds a 6-1 all-time record.
CONFERENCE USA
Last season the Cougars sat atop the conference standings late in the season before a rash of injuries stunted their late season surge. Houston still managed to finish third in the league.
Memphis (15-4-3), the C-USA runner-ups, comes to Houston for the league opener on Sept. 23. The Tigers and Cougars have had a streaky series history with Houston winning the first six games before Memphis took the next five. Last year was the first time the two teams played to a draw in the regular season before the Tigers bounced Houston out of the C-USA Championships. Memphis also qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season as an at large.
The Cougars next NCAA tournament team is at home against UCF (15-5-3) on Oct. 16. The Knights are the final NCAA Tournament team Houston will face in the regular season.
For the fourth year in a row, Houston will finish the regular season against Rice (8-8-4). UH hosts Rice on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. The two teams battled to a 0-0 draw at Rice University last season.
The top-six teams qualify for the C-USA Soccer Championships to be held in Memphis, Tenn. Nov. 2-5.
2011 Soccer Schedule
Aug. 21 vs. Texas 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 at Duke 5 p.m.
Aug. 28 at North Carolina 3 p.m.
Sept. 4 vs. North Texas TBA
Sept. 9 vs. Texas Southern 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 vs. LSU 1 p.m.
Sept. 14 at Houston Baptist TBA
Sept. 16 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette 6 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. Memphis 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 vs. UAB 1 p.m.
Sept. 30 at Tulsa 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 at SMU 1 p.m.
Oct. 7 at UTEP 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 at Colorado College
Oct. 14 vs. Southern Miss 7 p.m.
Oct. 16 vs. UCF 1 p.m.
Oct. 21 at Marshall 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 at East Carolina 1 p.m.
Oct. 28 vs. Rice 7 p.m.
Conference USA Championships
Nov. 2-5 Memphis, Tenn.
