June 30, 2009

2009 Schedule in PDF Format

(San Francisco) - The USF women's volleyball team will face a tough schedule in 2009, playing nine teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2008t, as announced by head coach Gilad Doron Wednesday. The schedule is highlighted by 13 matches against postseason teams from a year ago, including a match against National Champion runner-up Stanford.

The Dons open 2009 off the heels of a record breaking 2008 season, which included advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history. USF also posted a record-setting 11-3 finish in the West Coast Conference, earning it a program-high second place conference finish.

San Francisco will open the 2009 campaign August 28 at the Oregon Classic in Eugene, Ore. During the three-day tournament USF will face host Oregon, Missouri State and Eastern Washington. Both Oregon and Missouri State advanced to the postseason last year. The Ducks were the 11th overall seed, advancing to the third round, while the Bears, the Missouri Valley Conference Champions, fell in the first round.

USF will then return to the Hilltop on Labor Day weekend to host the annual USF Asics/Coca-Cola Challenge at War Memorial Gym for the first home events held at the facility since renovations and installation of a new floor. During the two-day tournament, the Dons will host San Diego State, Cal State Northridge and Rice. San Francisco will face the Spartans Sept. 4 at Noon before taking on Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. The next day, Sept. 5, the Green and Gold will face Rice, a 2008 NCAA Tournament team, at 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 6, USF will continue its four-match homestand with a 5 p.m. game against Texas A&M.

The Dons will make a short trip the next weekend, Sept. 11-12, to Sacramento to play in the Hornet Invitational. While at the event, USF will face host Sacramento State, Alabama and Fresno State.

San Francisco will then return to the Bay Area for a pair of matches against Stanford and California as part of the Pacific-10/West Coast Conference Challenge. Both the Cardinal and Bears were overalls seeds to the NCAA Tournament in 2008. The Dons will open the event, which also features Saint Mary's, Sept. 18 at Stanford. A year ago, the Cardinal were the No. 2 overall seed to the post season tournament, falling the National Championship match. Cal, who USF will face Sept. 19 in Berkeley, was the eighth overall seed and advanced to the quarterfinals of the postseason.

USF will conclude non-conference action Sept. 26, as it hosts Cal State Bakersfield on the Hilltop.

WCC action will open Oct. 2 as the Dons host Santa Clara in the annual DiG PiNK Breast Cancer Awareness match. Last season, the Broncos were one of five teams from the conference to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Conference action will continue Oct. 8 and 10 as USF travels to defending WCC Champion San Diego and Saint Mary's, respectively. Both teams advanced to the postseason a year ago. The Dons will then return to the Hilltop Oct. 15 and 17, hosting Gonzaga and Portland before wrapping up the first half of league play in Los Angeles, facing Pepperdine, an NCAA tournament team, and Loyola Marymount Oct. 22 and 24.

San Francisco opens the second half of WCC contests at Santa Clara, Oct. 30, prior to welcoming the Gaels and Toreros to War Memorial Gym, Nov. 5 and 7. The Dons will visit the Pacific Northwest Nov. 12 and 14, making the trip to Portland and Spokane to face the Pilots and Zags.

The regular season will conclude Nov. 19 and 21, as the Dons close out the 2009 slate hosting the Lions and Waves on the Hilltop.

All conference games, with the exception of the Oct. 30 game at Santa Clara, are scheduled for a 7 p.m. first serve on Thursdays and a 1 p.m. match time on Saturdays. At Santa Clara, on Friday, Oct. 30, the match is slated to start at 5 p.m.