By: Jill Wunrow
@JillWunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - New Green Bay men's soccer coach Dan
Popik has announced his team's 2012 schedule which features two tournaments on
the road, Big East Blue champions in Marquette, Pac 12 opponent Oregon State
and in-state rival Wisconsin from the Big Ten conference.
For the first time since the 1981
season, Green Bay will open its season with three games on its home field. In
2010 the Phoenix opened with a pair of home games (vs. DePaul and Oregon State)
but this season marks just the second time since moving to Division I that
Green Bay will open with three home games.
Friday, Aug. 24 Green Bay kicks off
its season hosting Great Lakes Valley Conference runner-up Northern Kentucky at
7 p.m. at Aldo Santaga Stadium. It will be the first meeting between these two
programs.
The Phoenix will have a short time to
prepare for Big East Blue Champion Marquette Sunday, Aug. 26 at 3:00 p.m. It
will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2007 with Green Bay
owning an overall series record of 21-13-4.
Northern Illinois will conclude the
opening three-game homestand Friday, Aug. 31 at 7:00 p.m. The contest will mark
the first time members of both squads meet with the most recent series game
being played in 2005. The Huskies, who hail from the Mid-American Conference,
have a slight 12-15-8 series edge over the Phoenix and advanced to the second
round of last season's NCAA Tournament.
The next four games will be played
away from the confines of home field with the first stop being at Niagara
Sunday, Sept. 2 at 12:00 p.m. Green Bay will look to avenge last season's 2-0
loss against the Purple Eagles in the Green Bay Soccer Classic.
For the first time since the 2006
season, Green Bay will play in two regular season tournaments beginning Sept. 7
in the Dayton Tournament. The Phoenix will face the host Flyers at 6:30 p.m.
before concluding the tournament with Missouri State Sunday, Sept. 9 at 10:00
a.m. Owning a 2-1-0 series record including a thrilling 2-1 double overtime win
in last season's Green Bay Soccer Classic, it will be the fourth time Green Bay
and Dayton meet. The Phoenix will look for the series edge over Missouri State
with an even 2-2-0 record against the Bears.
Friday, Sept. 14 Green Bay will wrap
up its four-game road stretch as it battles Detroit in its Horizon League
opener at 4:00 p.m. at Titan Field in Detroit, Mich. The Phoenix is 6-0-2
against Detroit throughout its last eight games.
The Phoenix returns home to host
SIU-Edwardsville Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 7:00 p.m. before heading west for its
second regular season tournament. Green Bay will face host Oregon State in its
tournament Sept. 21 before concluding with its first meeting against Gonzaga
Sept. 23 at 9:00 a.m.
Green Bay's 2012 Horizon League
opponents include Wright State (Sept. 29), Milwaukee (Oct. 3), regular
season-champion Valparaiso (Oct. 6), tournament champion Loyola (Oct. 13), UIC
(Oct. 20) and Cleveland State (Nov. 3). The Phoenix hosts Wright State for its
annual alumni day and also entertains in-state rival Milwaukee, UIC and
Cleveland State.
Green Bay will break up Horizon
League play with a nonconference battle against in-state rival Wisconsin
Wednesday, Oct. 17 in Madison at 7:00 p.m. The Phoenix has won the last three
regular season contests against the Badgers and also captured a spring game
battle against the rival.
UW-Parkside will visit Aldo Santaga
Stadium for an exhibition game Thursday, Aug. 16 at 7:00 p.m.
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