LAKE CHARLES – Coming off a historic 2018 season where the McNeese Cowgirl soccer team set a school record with 13 wins in addition to the program's biggest victory in history when beating Arkansas 3-2 in double-overtime, head coach Drew Fitzgerald has announced his 2019 campaign that will be just as daunting as the previous year.
 
The Cowgirls will make a return trip to Arkansas on September 8, but a week prior, McNeese will visit LSU on August 30 for the first of two games against a Power 5 team on this year's slate.
 
"After last year's home match against Arkansas, we fully expect they'll be taking their best shot at us," said Fitzgerald. "That will be an exciting environment and challenge for our players. This is the kind of match that you circle on your schedule because you know you are going to be pushed, and regardless of the outcome, you'll learn a lot about who you are as a team."
 
Arkansas finished last season 14-6-3 overall and in third place in the SEC standings with a 6-3-1 mark and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
LSU compiled a 13-7-4 overall mark and 5-4-1 record in league play and defeated Arkansas in the SEC Tournament title game by a 4-1 penalty kick advantage. The Lady Tigers also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to USC by a 2-0 score.
 
"The opportunity to take our players to compete against last year's SEC Tournament champs in an in-state match-up is one we are really excited about," said Fitzgerald. "This is a school that will be playing for a new head coach and it'll be interesting to see what style they adopt."
 
This will be McNeese's first game against LSU since 2011.
 
McNeese will open the season on Aug. 18 at home in an exhibition game against Louisiana-Lafayette then will play its first two regular season games at Cowgirl Field against Southern (Aug. 23) and Tulsa (Aug. 25).
 
"Playing ULL in an exhibition will allow us to capture a conference-match level of play despite it being an exhibition," said Fitzgerald. "It's always a good match with them, and this year, they'll be under a new coaching staff so their players will really be looking to prove something.
 
"Tulsa making the trip is a great home match opportunity for us against a quality AAC (American Athletic Conference) opponent."
 
Tulsa posted a 7-10-1 mark last season and will be taking on the Cowgirls for the first time since the 2015 season.
 
The Cowgirls will also host Prairie View (Sept. 1) and Jackson State (Sept. 13) in non-conference action while visiting Louisiana Tech (Sept. 6) and Texas State (Sept. 15) before opening Southland Conference play at home against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 20.
 
In addition to the home contest against SLU, the Cowgirls' other home league games will come against Sam Houston State (Oct. 4), Stephen F. Austin (Oct. 6), UIW (Oct. 18), and Abilene Christian (Oct. 20).
 
The Southland Conference Tournament will take place Nov. 6-10 and will be hosted by Central Arkansas.
 
2019 McNeese Cowgirl Soccer Schedule
Aug. 18  ULL (Exhibition)
Aug. 23  Southern
Aug. 25  Tulsa
Aug. 30 at LSU
Sept. 1  Prairie View
Sept. 6  at Louisiana Tech
Sept. 8  at Arkansas
Sept. 13  Jackson State
Sept. 15  at Texas State
Sept. 20  *Southeastern Louisiana
Sept. 27  *at Central Arkansas
Sept. 29  *at Northwestern State
Oct. 4  *Sam Houston State
Oct. 6  *Stephen F. Austin
Oct. 11  *at Nicholls
Oct. 18  *UIW
Oct. 20  *Abilene Christian
Oct. 25  *at HBU
Oct. 27  *at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Nov. 1  *at Lamar
Nov. 6-10  at Southland Conference Tournament (Conway, Ark.)