May 8, 2008
Contact: Leah Melichar
Limestone College Sports Information
Phone: 864-488-8219
lmelichar@limestone.edu

MEN’S SOCCER RELEASES FALL 2008 SCHEDULE

Limestone College Head Men’s Soccer Coach Eric Alsop has released the Saints’ fall 2008 schedule. The team is looking to build on its success from the last two seasons, which have seen the squad’s best finishes in the Conference Carolinas standings, a conference tournament championship, and an NCAA tournament berth.

“I can’t tell you how excited we all are about the upcoming season,” said Alsop. “Last season left a bitter taste in our mouths, and we were extremely disappointed in how our season ended.  The entire purpose of the spring was to put the season behind us, make some important changes in our mentality and approach to the game, and to come together as a team.  I feel that we’ve made a lot of positive changes to our program this spring, and we are confident about the direction we are heading in.  We have another competitive schedule ahead of us, but we are looking forward to the challenges that await us.”

This season, Limestone will compete in a NCAA “Super Region”, as the South Atlantic Conference joins Conference Carolinas and the Peach Belt Conference. This realignment of the conferences within the region will affect NCAA tournament qualifications. In the upcoming season, there will be six bids awarded within the region instead of four as in the past. The top two teams in the region will receive a bye in the first round of NCAA tournament regional play.

The Saints will face three teams that finished the 2007 season ranked in the top 25 national poll: No. 7 Lees-McRae, No. 11 Lander, and No. 22 Clayton State. Limestone will also face four teams who qualified for the national tournament: Lees-McRae, Lander, Clayton State, and Queens University.

Limestone will warm-up for the regular season with contests against Gardner-Webb University (NCAA Division I) and Lenoir-Rhyne College. The Saints’ open the regular season on August 28 against USC-Aiken in Aiken, S.C. Limestone will begin Conference Carolinas play on September 13 against Belmont Abbey. The Crusaders eliminated LC from the conference tournament last season.  On October 4, Limestone will host Barton College during homecoming. The team will wrap up the regular season on November 1 against Erskine College. November 1 will also be Senior Day.