AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken head men's soccer coach Ike Ofoje is pleased to announce the 2015 schedule.
The Pacers, coming off their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth and a school-record 14 wins, once again have a very tough schedule. The squad has seven home dates, six road matches and a pair of neutral-site contests during the regular season.
Ofoje's team opens its season with a pair of matches at the Clayton State Invitational. The Pacers take on regional foe Anderson on Sept. 3 (6 p.m.) before battling against the Flying Fleet of Erskine on Saturday, Sept. 5 (6 p.m.). Last season, USC Aiken dropped its season-opening match against Erskine in the same tournament.
The Pacers open their home slate on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with regional power Lenoir-Rhyne in a 7 p.m. contest. The match, along with the women's contest prior to it against the Bears, will be part of Pacer Fandemonium as it marks the first home date for any USC Aiken athletic team.
USC Aiken hits the road for its second contest against a South Atlantic Conference foe of the season when it travels to Carson-Newman for a Saturday evening affair on Sept. 12. The teams have squared off just five times, with the last match coming in 2009, with the Pacers owning a 3-2 record.
Ofoje's squad hosts non-conference foe Shorter on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The Pacers have only met Shorter twice and the team holds a 1-0-1 mark against them. The teams last met in 2007 and recorded a draw.
A week later, the team begins league play when the reigning PBC champion Young Harris Mountain Lions come to town for a unique Wednesday afternoon match.
The Pacers hit the road for a match-up at Lander on Sept. 30 before returning home for a pair of contests.
On Saturday, Oct. 3, the team entertains the Hurricanes of Georgia Southwestern in a 3:30 p.m., contest. Two days later, the Pacers host Flagler.
USC Aiken hits the road for three straight matches, including one against Conference Carolinas' Mount Olive on Oct. 13. Last year, the teams battled to a draw in a driving rainstorm.
The Pacers continue their road trip on Oct. 17 when the team makes the trek to Montevallo. USC Aiken concludes the three-match away trip with an Oct. 21 contest at Francis Marion.
Ofoje's team wraps up the regular season with two home dates in its final three outings. On Oct. 23, the team hosts Clayton State. The squad travels to UNC Pembroke for a Wednesday evening (Oct. 28) before returning home for Senior Day against North Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 31.
*Times and dates are subject to change.*
