EMU’s field hockey team will play a 17-game slate this fall in the schedule released today by first-year coach Ashley Kisner.
The Royals start the 2017 season at home, hosting Sewanee on Saturday, Sept. 2. The women play seven games in Harrisonburg, and will only leave Virginia twice, although each of those will be multi-game trips.
Click here to see the entire 2017 EMU field hockey schedule.
After the home opener, Eastern Mennonite makes a quick trip the next day to Ferrum before returning to the Turf Field on Sept. 6 for an early-season ODAC date with Sweet Briar. The Royals also host traditional power Mary Washington on Sept. 13.
The eight-game conference season runs mainly from late September to the middle of October, with home dates against Washington and Lee, Roanoke and 2016-winner Shenandoah. The Oct. 14 contest against Roanoke will be the early Saturday afternoon contest for EMU’s Centennial Homecoming Weekend. Concordia (Wisc.) visits on Oct. 20 in the home finale.
EMU’s women hit the road the next day, making a swing through Kentucky over the school’s fall break. The Royals play games on three straight days, getting Hendrix and Centre (both in Danville, Ky.) before an Oct. 24 contest at Transylvania to wrap up the regular season.
For the other multi-game trip, Eastern Mennonite will also take on Transylvania, meeting the Pioneers at the Wilson College Invitational in Chambersburg, Pa., on Sept. 9. The two-day tournament wraps up the following day.
EMU also has road games at Randolph-Macon, Lynchburg (at Liberty University), Virginia Wesleyan and Bridgewater.
The ODAC Tournament starts Oct. 31.
Eastern Mennonite finished 7-10 in 2016, earning their most wins in five seasons.