Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Wed., Sept. 12, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Weekend Preview

Men's soccer, cross country teams home

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State men's soccer teams is back under the University Stadium lights Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, the men's and women's cross country teams will participate in their only home meet of the season.

Meanwhile, women's soccer and women's volleyball have road trips planned, while the the women's tennis team is idle.

Here's a capsule look at the weekend schedule:

MEN'S SOCCER -- The SUNYAC portion of the season kicks off with a visit from Geneseo, the defending SUNYAC champs. The Blue Knights are No. 15 in NCAA Division III and 3-1-0 in the early going. They've outscored opponents, 7-1. "A sub-par effort," Fredonia State head coach P.J. Gondek said, "will not produce a win even on our home field. We will be healthy for the first time and have made some adjustments which we hope may kick start this talented group." The Blue Devils have started slowly -- 1-4-0 -- and are coming off a 1-0 loss to Penn State Altoona in the Blue Devil Days Inn Classic last Saturday.

CROSS COUNTRY -- The Blue Devil Invitational, scheduled for Saturday, is on a one-year hiatus. Instead, the Blue Devils will run a dual meet with Alfred University. Positioning in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings is at stake. "Alfred’s men and women are ranked very close to us ... so the competition should be good," head coach Nolan Swanson said. The women's race starts at 11 a.m., the men's race at noon.

WOMEN'S SOCCER -- Like the men, Geneseo is the Saturday opponent. Game time is 1 p.m. at Geneseo. The Blue Knights (2-2-0) won both meetings last season, including a 2-1 win in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament. "They are traditionally," Fredonia State coach Chris Case said, "one of the stronger opponenets in our conference, so this weekend would be a huge boost to pick up a win." The Blue Devils have lost their last three games after opening the season with a win. Scoring goals have been a chore -- only three in four games. Said Case: "Finishing our chances in the last two games as cost us a result, so executing in the final third will be one key this weekend. I think our team is playing well, but we need to find some scoring."

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL -- Geoff Braun's Blue Devils (5-4) compete in the RIT Tournament starting with a 4 p.m. Friday match vs. the host team. "We have developed a little rivalry the last few years with them," Braun said. "They are a strong team and we look forward to the competition." The Blue Devils other Friday match is against SUNYAC foe Potsdam. The tournament resumes Saturday.

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