Rivier men's soccer coach Hayden Barbosa and his team will begin its season on September 5 at Northern Vermont. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA — The Rivier men’s and women’s soccer teams announced their 2022 schedules, and Joanne Merrill Field, which just got new field turf installed, will be a busy place.

The Raider men look to continue building as a program under head coach Hayden Barbosa and will play in 17 contests, with the split marking nine matches as home contests and eight as road games. The Raiders will start their season on September 5 when they travel to Northern Vermont University-Lyndon for a 3:30 PM match. That following Saturday, the 10th, will mark the team’s home and conference opener against Johnson & Wales at 1 p.m.

The Raiders will face five non-conference opponents this season, with 12 GNAC contests. On top of NVU-Lyndon Riv will play NVU-Johnson, Fisher, Westfield St., and UMaine Presque Isle. Notable home games this season will come against Westfield State on September 21st, at 7 p.m., and Presque Isle on October 23 at 1 p.m.

The Raiders will look to improve on their GNAC record. Key GNAC matchups will come on Saturday, Sept. 24 against Dean College at 1:30 and Wednesday, October 26 against Lasell University at 7:30 p.m.

Tough contests for the Raiders will come when they face Norwich on Friday, September 30 in Vermont at 7 p.m., and the reigning champion of four out of the last five in St. Joseph’s of Maine on Wednesday, October 19 at 5 p.m. in Standish, Maine.

RIVIER WOMEN’S SCHEDULE

The River women’s team will also play in 17 total contests, with 12 counting as Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchups. However, the Raiders hope to benefit from a 10 home, seven away split for the season, including five straight at Merrill Field to start the season.

September first marks the season and home opener for women’s soccer. They will be taking on all four non-conference opponents before hitting the road to face all their GNAC foes. The Raiders will face off against Eastern Nazarene to start the season on Joanne Merrill Field at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1. Nichols, Mass Maritime, and Fisher College will make the trip to Nashua in the first 15 days of the season. Riv will start conference play on September 10 against Simmons University at 3 p.m. during their homestand.

The Raiders will head out on the road on September 18 to face Dean College at 1 p.m. Their next game will be one of the toughest they will play during the season on September 21 at 7 p.m. vs. Johnson & Wales, who has taken home the conference hardware the past two seasons under former Bishop Guertin standout athlete Chris Flint as coach.

Other games to watch for are on Sept. 24 when the Raiders host Anna Maria College at 11 a.m. AM and Oct. 5 when they travel to Norwich University for a 7 p.m. game.