2012 HPU Women's Soccer Schedule

High Point University women's soccer team announced its schedule for the upcoming 2012 season on Thursday. The Panthers, led by head coach Marty Beall, will play a challenging slate of games which includes contests against VCU, Auburn, West Virginia, East Carolina and UNC Greensboro.
 
"I'm very excited about our schedule this year,” Beall said. “We will be playing against a variety of playing styles and systems of play that will prepare us for conference play.  We have a veteran group returning along with a great freshman class that will be ready for these challenging games."

High Point opens its season with back-to-back road games at VCU and Auburn. The Panthers will take on VCU on Aug. 17 in Richmond, Va., and Auburn in Auburn, Ala., on Aug. 19. The Tigers won 15 games last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
 
Following its contest against Auburn, HPU returns home to open its home schedule against Tennessee Tech on Aug. 24. The Panthers then hit the road for away contests at Georgia Southern on Aug. 26, Appalachian State on Aug. 31, East Carolina on Sept. 6 and UNC Greensboro on Sept. 9.

High Point will host regional rival Elon for the second-straight season, taking on the Phoenix on Sept. 14, and then conclude its non-conference schedule with a road game at recent Big XII addition West Virginia on Sept. 16.

The Panthers begin their Big South Conference schedule with three-straight road game at Radford, VMI and Winthrop in 2012. HPU will take on the Highlanders on Sept. 20, the Keydets on Sept. 22 and the Eagles on Sept. 27.

High Point's longest and last home stand of the season will begin on Sept. 29 with a contest against Gardner-Webb and will span five games. Following their game against the Runnin' Bulldogs, the Panthers will host Presbyterian College on Oct. 4, UNC Asheville on Oct. 6, Liberty on Oct. 11 and new Big South member Longwood on Oct. 13.

HPU closes out the regular season with three-straight road contests against Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina and Campbell. The Panthers will take on Charleston Southern on Oct. 18 and Coastal two days later on Oct. 20 before playing its final regular-season contest at Campbell on Oct. 23.

The Big South Women's Soccer Championship will go through a change this upcoming season with first-round games played at the home sites of the higher seeds on Oct. 27. The winners of the first round will then advance on Rock Hill, S.C., for the Big South semifinals on Nov. 2 with the Big South Championship played two-days later on Nov. 4.
 
High Point returns seven starters from a team which finished fourth in the Big South last season with a 6-2-2 record. HPU returns four of its top five scorers from last season and four All-Conference selections in defender Janay Whittaker, midfielder Kelli Joline, midfielder Becca Hemby and defender Sammy Vercellino.