SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Union College athletics has announced the 2008-09 women's ice hockey schedule, which features 13 non-conference games against eight opponents, including the Dutchwomen's first-ever matchup against North Dakota.

Click here for schedule as a PDF

Union opens the season with a seven-game homestand, gearing up with a 4 p.m. exhibition game against the Toronto Aeros on Saturday, September 27, before hosting the first of four Hockey East opponents with a weekend set against Boston University and Northeastern on October 3 and 4. The Dutchwomen continue action against Hockey East foes with a two-game series against Vermont on October 10 and 11.

"It will be a tough opening weekend," said Head Coach Claudia Asano. "BU and Northeastern are difficult Hockey East opponents, and Vermont is another solid team from that league."

Wayne State makes a visit to Messa Rink on October 17 and 18 before the Dutchwomen travel to North Dakota for the first meeting between the two programs the following weekend in Grand Forks, N.D.

"Wayne State was one of the top teams in the country last season," said Asano. "Our first road trip of the season is to North Dakota, an emerging program in the WCHA, and at one of the most impressive college hockey venues in the country."

Union returns home to open ECAC play against Yale on October 31 and faces Brown the following afternoon before playing nine of the next 10 games on the road, including all four December games out of the friendly confines of Messa Rink.

The Dutchwomen kick off their road swing with league contests at Dartmouth and Harvard before a home-and-home afternoon series with RPI on November 15 and 16. Union closes out November with a pair of games at Sacred Heart before continuing ECAC Hockey action at Princeton and Quinnipiac on December 5 and 6. The Dutchwomen wrap up the first half of the season at Maine for a two-game set the following weekend.

Union stays close to home early in 2009, getting things going on January 9 and 10 with home games against Quinnipiac and Princeton before traveling to Cornell and Colgate the following weekend. The Dutchwomen play the next two weekends at home against some of the top teams in the league and then hit the road for the first two weekends in February.

Union closes out the regular season at home on February 20 and 21 against Colgate and Cornell.

The Dutchwomen finished the 2007-08 season with a 3-27-2 record.