RADFORD – Ten days after beginning a mid-season break, the Radford women's soccer team resumes the 2009 campaign while opening Big South play by hosting UNC Asheville on Friday night (7 p.m.) and Presbyterian on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.).

The Highlanders (3-6-0) haven't seen the field since a Sept. 21 game at Campbell, a 1-0 loss to the Fighting Camels, a future Big South foe.   Radford's match with Campbell was its final non-conference tilt of the year, as the Highlanders begin a stretch of nine straight league contests.

Friday night is the Big South women's soccer opener, league-wide, with a pair of conference match-ups on the schedule.  Three more league games are on tap for Saturday.

“We've learned a lot from the first half of the season, and hopefully we'll learn a lot from our mistakes,” head coach Ben Sohrabi said last Monday.  “This team has a big chance to be successful.”

Highlighting the first half of the season for Radford was the play of conference preseason player of the year Lisa Lubke, who made 25 saves over the Highlanders' four pre-break games.

“She's done a fantastic job for us,” Sohrabi said last week.  “Lisa continues to make big saves, and keep us in every single game.”

Lubke, a sophomore, is fourth in the league in goals-against average (1.41) and save percentage (76.9) following non-conference play.

On the offensive end, the Highlanders are led by Radford High School product Mary Wiley (pictured, right), with her five points (2 goals, 1 assist).  Both of the freshman's goals have come over the last five games.

“I have a lot of faith in this group of players,” Sohrabi said. “I think there's a lot they can do.”

UNC Asheville (3-3-1) dropped a pair of games to Radford last season, including a 2-1 overtime loss in the Big South quarterfinals at High Point.   Radford is 15-5-3 against the Bulldogs, all-time, with three consecutive wins in the series.

Presbyterian (3-5-0) and the Highlanders meet for just the third time on Sunday and Radford is seeking its first win against the Blue Hose, who begin their second season of Big South competition this weekend.

Both the Bulldogs and Blue Hose had 11-day layoffs entering Friday's Big South action.