Hofstra women's soccer to have challenging 2010 schedule

The Hofstra women's soccer team's 2010 schedule has been released and the Pride will be greatly challenged its non-conference slate.

Hofstra will kick off the 2010 campaign on August 27 at Boston College, which finished last season ranked seventh in the nation. The early non-conference schedule is also highlighted by road contests at Big Ten powers Purdue and Indiana and a home game on Sept. 5 against Fordham, who fell in the Atlantic 10 championship last season.

Fifth year Hofstra women's soccer head coach Simon Riddiough describes the schedule as "probably the toughest ever" for the program and he is hoping it will put the Pride in prime position for an at-large berth to the NCAA College Cup should it not capture the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title. “We’re constantly trying to upgrade and play the best teams in the nation,” said Riddiough, whose team has just missed out on making the NCAA College Cup the last two seasons following heartbreaking overtime losses in the CAA Tournament both years.

"I'm absolutely stoked about it," said Hofstra senior forward Salma Tarik of the Pride's 2010 schedule. "I love playing tough teams. It just makes us that much better."

Half of the Pride's 18 games are scheduled for Hofstra University Soccer Stadium, where the “blue and gold” are 43-11-6 since the facility opened in 2003. Hofstra's first home game will be on Sept. 3 against Rhode Island starting at 7 p.m. After playing its first three CAA games on the road, Hofstra's CAA home opener will be on Oct. 3 against Delaware with a 1 p.m. kickoff.