SLU releases soccer schedule under rookie head coach Gillespie

HAMMOND, La. – The new-look Southeastern Louisiana University women’s soccer team released its 2022 fall schedule, first-year head coach Nathan Gillespie announced Tuesday.

The Lady Lions (7-9-3, 4-5-3 Southland Conference) will look to Gillespie, replacing former SLU head coach Chris McBride who is now the head coach at UL Lafayette, to work their way through a challenging non-conference schedule.

“The biggest thing that I am looking for pre-conference is for the team to have a competitive mindset consistently,” said Gillespie. “No matter the opponent, the drive to compete should remain the same. I think that if we look at our non-conference games, plus our exhibition, we have a great group of opponents and a genuine schedule that will be able to test our ability to compete on a consistent basis.”

Southeastern will take on Mississippi State in an exhibition match Sunday, Aug. 14 in Starkville, Mississippi. SLU will open the season on Thursday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. when they take Ole Miss out of the SEC on the road in Oxford, Mississippi. The Lady Lions will, then, have over a week off before traveling to face Jackson State out of the SWAC on Friday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. in Jackson, Mississippi.

SLU will open the home portion of its schedule Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. against Southern, another SWAC opponent. Following their home opener, the Lady Lions will head east for a Sunday afternoon (Sept. 4) affair with South Alabama at 1 p.m.

After its trip to USA, Southeastern will begin Southland play against Nicholls at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9 on the road in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The Lady Lions will conclude its non-conference schedule on Sept. 11 when they take on Lamar at home at 1 p.m.

SLU’s conference slate includes home-and-home matches with Nicholls, HBU, Northwestern State, McNeese, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and the newest member of the conference, Texas A&M-Commerce.

“The schedule is full of high quality opponents,” said Gillespie. “The Sunbelt tournament champions, WAC tournament semifinalist and two teams from the same SWAC that were both competitive and made the postseason last year. Not to mention all the new faces that we will have. We’re excited about the challenge of playing against some of the top teams in the country. The level of play we will be exposed to from day one will be extremely high, not to mention most of them will be road games. Having such a competitive non-conference schedule will help prepare us for the Southland.”

Fans can view the full schedule at the Southeastern soccer schedule page at LionSports.Net.

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