ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Home games against both teams which squared off in the Atlantic 10 Championship last year, and matches against a pair of first-time opponents on the McGraw-Jennings pitch highlight the 2013 St. Bonaventure women’s soccer team’s schedule, as announced Monday by first-year head coach Steve Brdarksi.

“The schedule will require leadership, hard work and the ability to deal with adversity in many different ways,” Brdarski commented. “We are excited about the journey that we have ahead of us and we hope to honor our students, alumni and community on the field.

The Bonnies begin the season with a pair of exhibition contests on Aug. 15 and Aug. 17 with road tests at Bucknell and Syracuse, respectively. The official kickoff to the campaign is set for Friday, Aug. 23, at Kent State. The opener will serve as a stern test for SBU as the Golden Flashes won a school-record 13 games last year.

Following a midweek road tilt with Little Three rival Canisius (Aug. 28), Bonaventure concludes its rivalry week as it hosts Big 4 foe University at Buffalo in its season opener on Friday, Aug. 30.

The team then heads to Annapolis, Md. to compete in the annual Navy Invitational where it will face Towson on Friday, Sept. 6, and the host Mids on Sunday, Sept. 8. Navy went 19-2-1 in 2012, including a perfect 6-0-1 mark in Patriot League action, and returns nine of its 11 starters in 2013. Fellow A-10 rival Duquesne is the fourth team competing in the invitational.

After playing four of its first five games away from McGraw-Jennings Field, the Brown and White commences a three-game homestand on Friday, Sept. 13, versus first-time opponent Austin Peay. After starting last year 4-7, the Tennessee-based school went unbeaten in its next nine games and finished 12-8-1 after losing in the title game of the Ohio Valley Championship.

SBU’s homestand doesn’t get any easier as just two days later (Sept. 15) it entertains 2012 NCAA Tournament participant Hofstra, which won the Colonial Athletic Association title last year. The Bonnies then welcome Division-I newcomer UMass-Lowell for the first time on Sept. 20.

“The balance of home and away games, renewing local rivalries, the tournament at the Naval Academy and a competitive conference schedule will highlight our year,” Brdarski surmised. “We will embrace every challenge and hope to prove how special it is to play in front of our fans at McGraw-Jennings Field.”

Bonaventure begins A-10 action on Friday, Sept. 27, at Saint Louis before returning home for one final non-conference match against Robert Morris on Sept. 30. From there, Bona has consecutive league road games at Duquesne (Oct. 5) and Richmond (Oct. 12).

Four of Bona’s closing five games will take place at home, including four in a row. The stretch begins with George Washington on Oct. 18. The Bonnies then host A-10 runner-up VCU (Oct. 20) and defending conference champion La Salle (Oct. 25) back-to-back before ending the homestand opposite Saint Joseph’s on Sunday, Oct. 27. The regular season comes to a close Saturday, Nov. 2, at Massachusetts.

“The A-10 is a very simple conference in that there are no easy games,” Brdarski said. “We will respect every opponent and make sure that we prepare thoroughly for each test. We are excited and look forward to continuing the great tradition of our program.”

St. Bonaventure lost just five seniors to graduation last year as the Bonnies became one of just three teams in the conference to advance to the A-10 Championship for the fifth straight season.

St. Bonaventure is in the midst of a $3-million athletic fields project which includes artificial turf, seating, lighting and media facilities. To learn more about the project and how you can contribute, visit GoBonnies.com or contact Steve Mest at smest@sbu.edu. For the latest information on the women’s soccer team, follow @BonniesWSoccer on Twitter, “Like Us” on Facebook at St. Bonaventure Women’s Soccer and sign up to receive free text and email notifications at GoBonnies.com/List-Signup.

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