Women's Soccer to Participate in Play With Pride Saturday

The Central Connecticut women's soccer team will show their support for athletes and coaches of all sexual orientations by wearing rainbow colored laces on Saturday, Sept. 23 against American Athletic Conference foe Temple in its non-conference finale at CCSU Soccer field in New Britain, CT. Play with Pride is a new initiative from the United Soccer Coaches (formerly the NSCAA) developed by the association's LGBT Coaches and Allies Member Group.

From September 18-24, players and coaches across the nation are encouraged to wear rainbow laces during competition and use the hashtag #PlayWithPride to promote their team's commitment to diversity and inclusion via social media. In addition, participants can tag United Soccer Coaches in posts on Twitter (@UnitedCoaches) or Facebook/Instagram (@UnitedSoccerCoaches).

"Our association has the amazing ability to unite every coach at every level at every field across the nation," said United Soccer Coaches CEO Lynn Berling-Manuel. "Play With Pride is one more way to highlight the enormous diversity and inclusiveness of both our association and our sport." "Soccer is an amazingly diverse sport," adds Dan Woog, chair of the United Soccer Coaches LGBT Coaches and Allies Member Group. "That diversity includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender coaches, players, support staff, referees and fans. This is a simple, effective and very colorful way to send the message that every person, associated with every team, is valued and respected."

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

The Blue Devils have never before faced the Owls of Temple in program history. CCSU heads into the contest with an overall record of 3-5 and the Owls stand at 4-3-1. The match will be broadcasted live on NEC Front Row.

CCSU (3-5) VS. TEMPLE (4-3-1) | SATURDAY, SEPT. 23 | 7 PM

CCSU SOCCER FIELD | NEW BRITAIN, CT

LIVE STATS | NEC FRONT ROW | @KizerBlueDevil (In-game twitter updates)

Last Timeout • The Blue Devils were upended at Brown 2-1 on Sunday. Junior Yo Tachibana, the team leader in shots on goal taken (9) and total strikes (16), finally found the back of the net for her first career goal as a CCSU Blue Devil. Junior Charlotte Maurer and senior Kelly Halligan were credited for the assist in Centrla lone goal Sunday.

Outlook on the Owls • Temple is coming off of its biggest win of the season in a 8-0 victory against a winless Delaware State squad. The Owls have held their opponents scoreless in the past three games. Junior Kerri McGinley leads the team in points (8) and is tied with senior Gabriella McKeown for the most goals scored (3) to carry the Temple offense.

Next on Deck • The women's soccer team will charge into Northeast Conference play with a three-game road series first at Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday, Sept. 29, then to Mount St. Mary's (Oct. 1) and Sacred Heart (Oct. 8).