Women's Soccer Releases 2021 Schedule

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's soccer team and first-year head coach Jenna Kalwa have announced the schedule for the upcoming 2021 season. Highlighting the Blue Jays' 16-game regular-season slate are seven home matches which are set to be played on USJ's new turf soccer/lacrosse/field hockey field on the campus of USJ.

FULL 2021 WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE

The women's soccer team lifts the lid on its 2021 campaign on Wednesday, September 1 at Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opponent Fitchburg State at 4:00 p.m. before taking on Little East Conference (LEC) foe Rhode Island College on Wednesday, September 8 at 5:00 p.m. The Blue Jays will then open up Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Saturday, September 11 at Anna Maria with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.

That sets the table for the Blue Jays' 2021 home opener which will take place on Tuesday, September 14 at 6:00 p.m. versus MASCAC opponent MCLA. Fans, circle your calendars for Saturday, September 18 when USJ will host defending GNAC champion Johnson & Wales University in a matinee match that is schedule to kickoff at 12:00 p.m. on the USJ Soccer Field.

USJ will then hit the road for a midweek GNAC fixture in Boston at Emmanuel on Wednesday, September 22 before returning to West Hartford for there next three key matches. The Blue Jays will host perennial conference powerhouse in Lasell on Saturday, September 25 before squaring off with Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Wednesday, September 29. The Blue Jays will look for revenge against the Monks who knocked them out of the 2019 GNAC Tournament in penalty kicks in the quarterfinals. Then, as the calendar flips to October, USJ will host Simmons on October 2 to complete its three-game homestand.

Five of the Blue Jays final seven matches are on the road. They will first travel to newcomer to the conference, Elms College, on Wednesday, October 6 before making the trek up to Northfield, Vt. to take on Norwich on Saturday, October 9. Then it's back home to tangle with GNAC and intrastate rival Albertus Magnus on October 13 before hosting Rivier under the brand new lights on the USJ Soccer Field on Friday, October 15. Kickoff between the Blue Jays and Raiders is set for 7:00 p.m.

Rounding out the 2021 women's soccer regular-season schedule are three matches on the road. The Blue Jays will first travel to Regis on October 20 ahead of fixtures at Colby-Sawyer (Oct. 23) and Dean (Oct. 27).

The top-eight teams in the league standings will advance to the 2021 GNAC Tournament, which is set to begin with the quarterfinal round on Saturday, October 30, with the top-four seeds serving as hosts. The semifinals will be held on Wednesday, November 3 by the remaining two highest seeds, followed by the championship match on Saturday, November 6 by the highest remaining seed.

The Blue Jays finished tied for sixth in the regular-season standings at the conclusion of the 2019 campaign and earned a berth to the postseason tournament for the 20th consecutive season, extending the all-time school record for longest postseason streak by any USJ team. They earned the seventh seed and traveled to second-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine where they came up just short in the quarterfinals, falling, 4-3, in penalty kicks. The 2020 season was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Admission to all USJ regular-season women's soccer games in 2021 is free of charge. At this time USJ intends to allow spectators for home games and will follow all campus, town, and state guidelines regarding COVID-19.

Follow USJ Athletics
For the latest on University of Saint Joseph Athletics, follow the Blue Jays on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Fans can also download the USJ Front Row Mobile App and subscribe to our Newsletter and Text Alerts. #FearTheFlock #GoBlueJays