MSOC | 2018 Schedule Features Traditional Powers

June 14, 2018

Saint Mary's Men's Soccer Schedule

MORAGA, Calif. -- The Saint Mary's men's soccer team's strong 2018 schedule features a California flare with plenty of traditional powers to boot, as the Gaels take on a bevy of opponents from the Golden State while facing 11 teams that played in the postseason a year ago.

Saint Mary's (6-6-5, 3-3-2 West Coast Conference play in 2017) will take on 12 teams from the state of California during its 18-game schedule. Four of those matches will be against teams who made the 2017 NCAA Tournament with season-opening exhibitions at three-time defending national champion Stanford (Aug. 14) and 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifier California (Aug 18). Then in the regular season the Gaels face familiar foes Pacific (road, Oct. 7) and San Francisco (home, Oct. 13), both who made the 2017 NCAA Tournament as well.

Saint Mary's 2018 slate also features games against traditional powers UC Santa Barbara and New Mexico. The Gaels will host the 2006 national champion Gauchos on Sept. 19 before traveling to the 2013 Final Four participant Lobos on Sept. 26. The Gauchos, who have been in 12 NCAA Tournaments since 2002, have not played in Moraga since 2001, when the Gaels beat them, 1-0. The two teams played to a 0-0 draw last season in Southern California. UNM also has 12 NCAA Tournament trips since 2001 and won the only matchup between the two programs on Nov. 1, 1992.

"We are very excited about this upcoming season and our great schedule," said Saint Mary's head coach Adam Cooper. "We've got a tremendous, challenging schedule lined up with games against NCAA champion UCSB, Final Four participants University of New Mexico and many other NCAA tournament teams."

The 2018 season kicks off in August with two elite exhibition games on the road against the Gaels' Bay Area Pac-12 rivals. SMC will face Stanford, who has won each of the last three NCAA national titles, on Aug.14, and travel to 2017 NCAA Tourney team California on Aug.18. The regular season kicks off on Aug. 24 when the Gaels open a five-match season-opening home stand versus Incarnate Word.

SMC will also host Detroit Mercy (Aug. 26), Marist (Aug. 31), San Jose State (Sept. 6) and Cal Poly (Sept. 9) in that first home stand. Detroit Mercy came to Moraga last season and earned a 3-3 tie. SJSU made it to last season's WAC Tournament championship game. The Gaels will face Cal Poly for the second straight year after playing them in San Luis Obispo last season.

The Gaels have two two-match non-conference road trips in September, with the first one coming at Sacramento State (Sept. 14) and UC Riverside (Sept.16). Sacramento State qualified for the Big West Tournament a year ago. UC Riverside was also in that tournament, making a run to the Big West Conference Tournament semifinals. The Gaels return to the Valley on Sept. 22 to face 2017 Big West Conference regular season champion UC Davis before heading to annual power New Mexico on Sept. 26.

Saint Mary's loaded West Coast Conference schedule starts with a bang in October, as the Gaels face two NCAA Tournament teams to start conference play. SMC travels to Pacific on Oct. 7 to open the WCC schedule, then hosts the defending champion Dons on Oct. 13. The Gaels face off versus annual contender Portland on Nov.10 on the road, who finished tied for second in the WCC last year. Other WCC opponents Saint Mary's will face include Santa Clara (home, Oct. 21), San Diego (road, Oct. 26), Loyola Marymount (road, Oct. 28) and Gonzaga (home finale, Nov. 4).

"The WCC is loaded with talent across the board and will be a great challenge that we are excited about and ready for," said Cooper.

2018 season, group, and individual tickets will go on sale later this summer. Stay tuned to SMCGaels.com and follow the Gaels at @SMCGaels and @SMC_MSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updated information on ticket sales.

Schedule

MSOC | 2018 Schedule Features Traditional Powers

GAELS IN THE PROS

CHAMPIONS

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