After a very, very, very long hiatus, the Voice of the Supporters has returned with gusto. We will be bringing you news, opinions, and everything else that relates with Notre Dame Soccer. That being said, let's look ahead.
Spring Schedules
There seems to have been a delay in spring schedules for some unknown reason and everyday waiting on the und.com newsfeed to show "Irish Roll Out Spring Schedule" feels like forever. That being said, we at the voice have done our best Google search/investigative reporting to uncover bits and pieces of the spring schedule.
The women's schedule remains practically under lock and key. The only known game we have found is from a mention on Twitter or the fan chat and that is the Mexican National Team. For those who don't know, the Mexican National Team are the Champions of Concacaf, this means they beat the US National Team. We live in an age where we expect the US National Team to roll over the regional competition and battle it out with giants like China, Germany, Sweden, and Brazil. So expect a good match.
One can only assume that the CONCAChampions will play the Irish the Friday of the Blue and Gold game. This will be a high stakes game, even for an exhibition, considering the future USWNT players that suit up in the Irish kit.
The men's schedule is much easier to piece together. In the fan chat, Bobby Clark said who the opponents are, but never the when or where. As time went on, some of those teams released their spring games and allowed us to piece together a puzzle.
The first match is against Western Michigan on March 15. The next match is on St. Paddy's day with the Mexican U-17 side. This match is for the coaching clinic that will be occurring on campus.
The next match that appears is the Buck College Cup on March 26. This is a one day affair where 4 teams play two matches. The teams going are Oakland, Michigan, Akron, and the Irish. Now according to Oakland's and Michigan's respective schedules, we will be playing them and not the defending national champions. The Michigan game is at 5:30, leading us to assume that the ND-Oakland game is probably at 11 am. There is a potential for a road trip in this game.
The next set on April 10. This event is known is the Athletes in Action showcase in Xenia, Ohio. This event pits the Irish in 45 minute games against Akron and two other teams.
It is assumed that April 15 will have a match considering its the Friday before the Blue and Gold game.
Lastly, on April 20, Notre Dame will travel to Ft. Wayne to take on rivals Indiana.
Moving on, there is an all important meeting on Thursday regarding the club it is highly recommended that you attend if you're a member. Additionally, the FIFA Tournament is on schedule and the advertising campaign will be in full swing by the end of break. Also TIFO creation will be one of our several goals before the all important Mexico match, so keep your eyes peeled for the TIFO e-mail.
Peace,
The Voice
