LOS ANGELES – The 2018 women's soccer season kicks off this week! Loyola Marymount is packing their bags and headed to the Aloha State to face both Texas A&M and Bowling Green in Hawaii's Outrigger Soccer Kickoff Tournament.
 
Bowling Green is coming off a season where the Falcons advanced to the championship game of the MAC Tournament before falling in overtime.
 
The Texas A&M Aggies, who were selected No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Preseason Ranking last week, will be a tough opening match for the Lions.

"I think it is going to be tough for us, because this year the way things lined up, we play 20 games without a scrimmage," said Head Coach Michelle Myers. "This is truly going to be our first time training against an opponent. We're doing our best during training camp to try to get a few 11-on-a-side matches against ourselves, but it is never the same."

The early season tests will give Myers an opportunity to see how her players respond to tough competition and new teammates after beginning their training sessions together earlier this month.

"Any time you go on the road, on not a short trip against two tough opponents, I think there will be a lot of learning going on over the weekend and we are going to find out a lot about ourselves. That is kind of what these early season trips are about. You want to get results, but at the same time you want to make yourself better down the line for the tough conference opponents."

The host Hawaii Rainbow Wahine are the fourth team involved in the opening weekend tournament.