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On Thursday, the Boston College field hockey team released its 2014 schedule, which includes nine home games and eight teams that made last year's NCAA Tournament.
"Once again we will be in the top 10 in the country in strength of schedule and we look forward to these opportunities to play the best teams in the country," said head coach Ainslee Lamb. "With all Atlantic Coast Conference teams in the top 15 in the country we are excited to be a part of the strongest conference in Division I field hockey."
The Eagles actually have a scrimmage later this month, July 23, at Boston University, and another scrimmage a month later vs. UMass-Lowell on August 24. College sports ... soon.
Three road/neutral games kick off the season as the Eagles travel to Hamden, Connecticut to take on Quinnipiac (8/29) and Lafayette (8/30), before traveling to Providence to take on the Friars on September 5.
The home schedule opens with in-state rival UMass on Sunday, September 7 at 3 PM. BC will see BU again, this time at home and in a game that counts, on September 12. The Eagles will also host defending national champion Connecticut on September 14 at 2 PM. BC defeated UConn, 4-3, in the regular season, only to lose the rematch in the NCAA Tournament, 2-1, in overtime.
More #orangeeagle points will be up for grabs on September 20, when BC travels to Syracuse to take on the Orange. Boston College upset the Orange in the regular season, 6-3, in their only meeting of the year. The Eagles will also head down to road to face Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y. on September 21 before returning home for a three-game home stand.
The rest of the conference schedule is highlighted by home games against North Carolina (9/26), Wake Forest (10/3) and Virginia (10/24), as well as road games at Duke (10/10) and ACC newcomer Louisville (10/17). Non-conference games against New Hampshire (9/28), at Appalachian State (10/12), vs. California in Louisville (10/19) and at Harvard (10/28) complete the 2014 sched.
The Eagles return a load of talent from last year's NCAA Tournament team, one that compiled a 12-8 record and made the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009. Field hockey coach Ainslee Lamb definitely has this program headed in the right direction. The Eagles field hockey team is one to keep an eye on this fall.