Lee University head women's soccer coach Chris Hennessey has released a demanding schedule for his 2017 Lady Flames. A pair of squads, University of North Georgia and Rollins College, each joining Lee in the opening rounds of the 2016 NCAA Division II National Tournament, will be in Cleveland to help usher in the new campaign.
After hosting Tusculum College (Aug. 19) and Bryan College (Aug. 23) and traveling to Emory University (Aug. 26) for exhibitions games, the Lady Flames (14-3-2 last season) will officially kickoff the 2017 season with the Quiznos Classic on Sept.
1 against a North Georgia squad that posted a 15-3-3 record last season. After a one-day break, Lee will return to action on Sept. 3 and be pitted against Rollins College (Fla.) Rollins was 11-4-3 last season. Gulf South Conference (GSC) member school, Mississippi College, will complete the four-team field.
"As our conference has grown this year, we only play three non-conference games," pointed out coach Hennessey. "I feel that our non-conference schedule is without doubt one of the toughest in the country." The Lady Flames will conclude the non-conference slate on Sept. 10 when they meet a former NAIA rival, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) at a neutral site in Foley, Ala.
The University of Auburn Montgomery and the University of Montevallo (Ala.) will join the GSC this year, but will not be eligible for GSC championship play until 2018-19.
"We continually strive to play the best teams early on as it helps us evaluate where we are at heading into conference play," noted Hennessey, who enters his third season as head coach. "We are looking forward to hosting North Georgia and Rollins."
The Lady Flames waste no time in entering conference play. It all begins on Sept. 8 when Hennessey takes his ladies to Mobile, Ala. to face Spring Hill College. The Lady Flames return to Cleveland on Sept. 15 and 17 welcoming Delta State and Mississippi College. Other home dates on the 17-game regular-season schedule are: Oct. 6, Valdosta State; Oct. 8, West Florida; Oct. 20, Alabama Huntsville; Oct. 22, West Alabama; and Oct. 26, Shorter University.
The opening round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament is slated for Oct. 31.
Date
Time
Opponent
Location
8/19/2017
4:00 PM
Tusculum (Exhibition)
Cleveland, Tenn.
8/23/2017
7:00 PM
Bryan College (Exhibition)
Cleveland, Tenn.
8/26/2017
7:00 PM
Emory University (Exhibition)
Atlanta, Ga.
9/1/2017
7:00 PM
University of North Georgia
Cleveland, Tenn.
9/3/2017
1:30 PM
Rollins College
Cleveland, Tenn.
9/8/2017
7:00 PM
Spring Hill College
Mobile, Ala.
9/10/2017
2:00 PM
Embry Riddle University
Foley, Ala.
9/15/2017
5:00 PM
Delta State University
Cleveland, Tenn.
9/17/2017
2:00 PM
Mississippi College
Cleveland, Tenn.
9/22/2017
5:00 PM
Christian Brothers University
Memphis, Tenn.
9/24/2017
2:00 PM
Union University
Jackson, Tenn.
9/29/2017
5:00 PM
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, Ga.
10/1/2017
2:00 PM
University of North Alabama
Florence, Ala.
10/6/2017
5:00 PM
Valdosta State University
Cleveland, Tenn.
10/8/2017
2:00 PM
University of West Florida
Cleveland, Tenn.
10/13/2017
5:00 PM
Auburn University at Montgomery
Montgomery, Ala.
10/15/2017
2:00 PM
University of Montevallo
Montevallo, Ala.
10/20/2017
5:00 PM
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Cleveland, Tenn.
10/22/2017
2:00 PM
University of West Alabama
Cleveland, Tenn.
10/26/2017
7:00 PM
Shorter University
Cleveland, Tenn.
All Times Local
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