By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- After finishing just one point out of first place in the Northwest Conference standings in 2014, the Willamette University men's soccer team is looking forward to the 2015 season. The Bearcats have announced their schedule, which includes seven home games against NWC opponents, plus five non-conference home games.

Willamette concluded last season with a 13-5-2 overall record, including 10-2-2 in the NWC (2nd place, 32 points). The Bearcats were edged out for the conference title by Whitworth University, which advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs and finished the year at 17-2-3 overall, 10-1-3 in the NWC (33 points).

This fall, the Bearcats will open the season with seven consecutive home games at Sparks Field on the Willamette campus.

The Bearcats will begin the home schedule begins by taking on University of La Verne (Calif.) on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. (PDT), and continues with non-conference home games against Southwestern University (Texas) on Sept. 5, University of Wisconson-Oshkosh, on Sept. 6, University of California, Santa Cruz on Sept. 11, and Evergreen State University (Wash.) on Sept. 12.

NWC action gets started in a big way on Sept. 19, when the Bearcats will host Whitworth University. Willamette is set to complete it's season-opening, seven-game homestand on Sept. 20 versus Whitman. Both games are part of Willamette's Reunion Weekend/Homecoming.

WU plays its first road game on Sept. 26 at night in Forest Grove, Oregon, against Pacific University. WU returns home on Sept. 27 to battle George Fox University, before playing on the road at University of Puget Sound on Oct. 3 and at Pacific Lutheran University on Oct. 4.

The schedule resumes six days later with a night game against archrival Linfield College at Sparks Field. The matchup with the Wildcats begins a three-game homestand, that also includes games against Pacific Lutheran on Oct. 17 and Puget Sound on Oct. 18.

Up next for the Bearcats is a game at George Fox on Oct. 24 in the early evening, followed by a home game against Pacific on Oct. 25. Three road games will conclude the regular season, as Willamette will take on Whitman College on Oct. 31 and Whitworth on Nov. 1, before traveling to McMinnville, Oregon, to tangle with Linfield in a night game on Nov. 7.

Most of WU's games against NWC opponents will be played at 2:30 p.m. The night games will be at 7 p.m., with the exception of the game at GFU, which will begin at 6 p.m. The games at Whitman and Whitworth will start at 1:30 p.m.