The University of Maine men’s soccer team will kick off its season with a tournament in Orono, and the Black Bear women will play a home game in Portland when the fall 2003 season opens.

The Maine women will host Sacred Heart of Fairfield, Conn. at Fitzpatrick Stadium Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.

“We wanted to showcase our program to the people in the southern part of the state,” head coach Scott Athlerley said in a press release from the school. “Several of our players are from that area and it is also home to the top competitive youth soccer in the state.”

The women open Aug. 30 against Lafayette in Orono. The team’s first road trip will be to Cambridge, Mass., for the Harvard Invitational, where the Bears will face Dartmouth Sept. 12 and Harvard Sept. 13. Both Dartmouth and Harvard finished in the top 25 last year.

Athlerley’s Bears have eight home games and will also travel to Baltimore to face the University of Maryland-Baltimore County Sept. 21 for the America East conference opener; New Rochelle, N.Y., to play Iona; and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for a game against Marist. The regular season concludes with a Nov. 2 game at Vermont. The first round of the America East tournament will be held Nov. 4 at the home of the higher seed. The top six teams make the tournament for both the men and the women.

The Maine men have seven home games on their schedule, starting with the Black Bear Invitational. The Bears will face Canisius Aug. 31 and Niagara Sept. 1.

Maine then heads to St. Bonaventure, N.Y., Sept. 6-7 for the St. Bonaventure tournament, where the Bears are scheduled to play LaSalle and St. Bonaventure.

America East play opens Sept. 17 with a game against New Hampshire in Orono and concludes with a home game against Hartford Oct. 29. Non-conference away games include Dartmouth (Hanover, N.H.), Harvard, and Army (West Point, N.Y.). The conference tournament starts Nov. 5.

Colby men’s soccer earns award

The Colby men’s soccer team has been named the winner of the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League’s Division III Fair Play Award for good sportsmanship during the 2002 season.

The White Mules of Waterville are coached by Mark Serdjenian and were captained last fall by Mike Jarcho. Colby opens the 2003 season against in-town rival Thomas at 4 p.m. on Sept. 10.