SHERBROOKE, Que.  – The Bishop's University women's soccer and women's rugby teams take to the field this weekend to open their 2016 season.  Women's soccer will face Laval on Sept. 2 in Quebec City at 6:30 p.m. and women's rugby will host Carleton on Sept. 4 at 2 p.m.
 
The Lady Gaiters soccer team kick off RSEQ University play at Laval. In 2015, the Gaiters struggled, but are looking to turn things around in 2016 under new head coach Paul Ballard.
 
"It's going to be a very interesting game for us," said Ballard. "I am optimistic about the season. The preseason has been really good; we have been rebuilding from the bottom up. We have spent a lot of time focusing on our team culture, mission and values, and we're thinking of this season as a segment of a long-term goal.
 
"To start the season off against Laval is going to be a good test to see where we are, not just in ability but also where our resilience level is. Laval is a very good team and it is going to take everything in us to stay with them for 90 minutes," the two-time All-Canadian added.
 
Women's rugby, meanwhile, starts 2016 at Coulter Field on Sunday against the Ravens.

"We have an inexperienced group, so we are going to be leaning on the returning veterans to lead," said Adam Spirk, who is heading into his fourth year in charge of the Gaiters. "Our conditioning out of training camp was much better this year; we are hoping that means we are better prepared for the season. Carleton is a team that we can compete with and with the balanced team we have this year we hope to start our season off with a victory."
 
Men's rugby also hits the pitch this weekend for exhibition action. They host Norwich (Vt.) at 2 p.m. Saturday and the University of Pennsylvania on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., both on the Arena field.
 
Webcasts
Women's Soccer at Laval – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZIA_p2QFVQ
Women's Rugby vs. Carleton – www.gaiters.ca/webcast
 
Follow the Gaiters throughout the weekend and anytime at www.gaiters.ca or on Twitter and Instagram (@BishopsGaiters).
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Clare Webb
Sports Information Assistant