Cleveland State women's soccer has officially laid out its game plan for the coming 2025 fall season, as revealed by Head Coach Mark Sappington on Tuesday. Viking fans are looking at a 17-game slate, which comprises a mix of both home comforts on Krenzler Field and testing road trips, including the season opener against Kent State on Thursday, August 14.
The schedule's first whistle will blow on home turf, with Cleveland State University Athletics detailing subsequent away clashes at Southern Indiana on August 17 and Bowling Green come August 21. Another notable home fixture sees Saint Francis take the field against Cleveland State on Thursday, August 28. The month ends with the Vikings hoping to seal a victory before darkening the doorstep of September's rivals.
Intrigue spikes come mid-September, where Cleveland State's soccer squad welcomes St. Bonaventure (Sept. 7) and Morehead State (Sept. 14) for back-to-back Krenzler Field showcases. The match-up with Morehead State isn't just another date on the calendar; it's a personal crossover for Sappington, who will pit tactics against his old squad and honor the Viking seniors, as detailed by the team's announcement.
Tackling Horizon League play, the Vikings set off on the road to confront Detroit and Oakland, only to return for a trifecta of home games against Youngstown State (Sept. 25), IU Indy (Sept. 28), and Milwaukee (Oct. 4). According to csuvikings.com, the grueling season crescendos into the Horizon League Tournament, where the six best-performing teams beckon the call to competition from November 2–8.
The tournament's battlegrounds will shift amongst the higher-ranked titans for the quarterfinals before the regular season's champions beckon the semifinalists and finalists to their home venue. With stakes peaking, the Vikings' season's tale will be one written on the field, punctuated by every pass, shot, and save that cleaves the route to victory or defeat.
