UNLV soccer kicks schedule up a notch

Thursday, May 19, 2005 | 10:02 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

The UNLV women's soccer team, under first-year head coach Katherine Mertz, will take on four teams that played in the 2004 NCAA tournament on their 2005 schedule.

Mertz hopes the team will build on the momentum it had last year, when UNLV won its first-ever MWC regular season championship, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history before finishing with a 12-5-1 record.

"We have a very competitive schedule and we're excited about the teams we're going to see this coming season," Mertz said. "We have several tough road games to begin the year at Arizona State and a tournament on the East Coast against Virginia Commonwealth and Richmond. Our home slate is challenging as well, but I like finishing out conference season with three straight at home."

UNLV opens the season at home on Aug. 26 against Cal State Northridge.

UNLV will host two tournaments -- the Adidas Classic on Sept. 16 and 18 featuring Fresno State, Long Beach State, and Sam Houston, and another onSept. 30 and Oct. 2 with Creighton, Northern Arizona, and Utah Valley State.

The Rebels will also host the MWC tournamentfrom Nov. 2-5.

UNLV will begin defense of its Mountain West Conference championship at Air Force on Oct. 7.