The West Virginia University women’s soccer team opens the home slate of its 2023 campaign when it welcomes Saint Francis (Pa.) to Morgantown on Sunday, Aug. 20. Kickoff at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is tabbed for 1 p.m. ET.

The contest between the Mountaineers and Red Flash will be WVU’s annual Camper Reunion Day, as it welcomes back participants from this summer’s team camps. The squad also will be hosting a Back-to-School Drive, as fans will be given a raffle ticket to win a signed WVU women’s soccer jersey for every two items donated. The winner of the signed jersey will be announced at halftime. There also will be postgame autographs following the conclusion of the match.
 
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME. When purchasing online, tickets are $5 each. Any remaining tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors at the stadium ticket window on match day.
 
WVU student tickets also will be made available at the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The office, as well as the stadium gates, opens at 12 p.m., on game day. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
 
Andrew Caridi and Adam Zundell have the call of Sunday’s contest on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. For more information, or to sign up for the digital platform, visit WVUsports.com/Big12Now. The game also can be heard on 91.7 FM (WWVU) in Morgantown, and live stats are available at WVUsports.com.

The Mountaineers (0-1, 0-0 Big 12) opened their 28th season of competition with a 2-0 loss at No. 4 Duke on Aug. 17, in Durham, North Carolina. Despite a slew of chances in the second half, the Mountaineers couldn’t find the back of the net after going down by a goal early in the first half. The Blue Devils added a second tally in the final 25 minutes of the match to secure the season-opening win. The final box score showed a close match, with Duke just outshooting West Virginia, 12-8, including 5-3 in shots on goal. The two teams were even in corner kicks, 4-4, and saves, 3-3.

Sunday’s contest marks the seventh all-time meeting between West Virginia and Saint Francis, as the Mountaineers hold a 6-0 advantage in the series, as well as a 5-0 lead in games played in Morgantown. The two programs met last season, with WVU tallying a 3-0 win at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Aug. 28. Three different Mountaineers found the back of the net against SFU in 2022, including Julianne Vallerand who notched the game-winner for the second straight year.

Sara Butler is in her second season as the head coach of the Saint Francis women’s soccer program, leading the Red Flash to a 7-10-1 overall record in her first season at the helm in 2022. The squad opened the 2023 campaign with a 3-1 loss to Youngstown State in Loretto, Pa., on Aug. 17. This season, Saint Francis returns nine starters from the 2022 team, six of which were its most productive offensive players a season ago.