Pictured: Georgia forward Carrie Patterson (UGA Photo)

ATHENS -- Georgia will play 11 matches against 2007 NCAA Tournament teams including home contests against Virginia, Stanford, LSU, Auburn and defending national champion Southern Cal as its 2008 soccer schedule was released Thursday. Matches against ACC powers North Carolina and Duke also highlight the schedule.

The Bulldogs will face 14 teams that won at least 10 matches last season in Mercer, BYU, Utah, Virginia, Stanford, Southern Cal, North Carolina, Duke, Florida, South Carolina, LSU, Kentucky, Auburn and Tennessee.

Following the season opener at home against Mercer on Aug. 22, Georgia hits the road for a pair of contests at BYU (Aug. 29) and Utah (Aug. 31). The Bulldogs return home the following week for the Georgia Nike Invitational, which includes matches against Virginia (Sept. 5) and Stanford (Sept. 7) before 2007 national champion Southern Cal visits Athens on Sept. 12.

Georgia closes out its non-conference schedule at the Duke Classic in Durham, N.C., with matches against North Carolina (Sept. 19) and Duke (Sept. 21).

The Bulldogs open SEC action on the road at Florida (Sept. 26) and South Carolina (Sept. 28) followed by a four-match homestand against Arkansas (Oct. 3), LSU (Oct. 5), Vanderbilt (Oct. 10) and Kentucky (Oct. 12).

Georgia visits the Magnolia state to face Mississippi State (Oct. 17) and Ole Miss (Oct. 19) before the final home match of the regular season against Auburn on Oct. 23.

Trips to Alabama (Oct. 26) and Tennessee (Oct. 31) close out the regular season for the Bulldogs before the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., Nov. 5-9.

Georgia returns nine starters from last year’s team that won a school record 18 matches including Carrie Patterson (13g, 6a, 32 pts), Caroline Simpson (6g, 6a, 18 pts), Marah Falle (7g, 2a, 16 pts) and Michelle Betos (0.79 GAA, .816 Save Pct., 8 SO).