April 30, 2009

AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass women's soccer team is set to host the New England Mutiny (Women's Premier Soccer League) on Saturday at Rudd Field in its final spring game of the year. The 3:30 p.m. game is part of Supercuts SoccerFest run by the UMass Sport Management Department. Admission is free for all. On Friday, the men square off against defending National Champion Maryland at 5 p.m. as part of SoccerFest's "Friday Night Showdown."

For more information on Supercuts SoccerFest, click here. To learn more about the Mutiny, check out their official website.

The Minutewomen finished the 2008 season with a 6-9-3 record. Despite a tough finish to the season, it featured a number of memorable moments. The biggest came on Oct. 12 when the team topped Dayton for the first time since 1998. There were also thrilling home wins over Holy Cross and Xavier and a tight 2-1 victory at Albany. On a rainy Sept. 26 afternoon, the Minutewomen started the conference season with a come-from-behind overtime win over St. Bonaventure.

Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Minutewomen still had a chance for an Atlantic 10 Tournament berth. Despite two valiant efforts vs. conference powers Saint Louis and Charlotte, UMass fell just short. Against the 49ers on Senior Day, the Minutewomen played toe-to-toe with the eventual A-10 Champions. A strong defensive effort held the nation's fourth highest scoring team (3.5 goals/game) to only one goal, allowing the offense a chance of spoiling Charlotte's perfect conference season.