MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  – The No. 1-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team opens its 2017 home season at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 24, against No. 10 Virginia at 7 p.m.
 
It's a Dollar Night, and all tickets, popcorn, small sodas, nachos, mini pepperoni rolls and candy bars will be available for $1 each. Additionally, it's Poster Night, and all fans in attendance will receive a free Mountaineer schedule poster.
 
WVU students are admitted free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
 
Tickets are available for purchase now at WVUGAME.com.
 
To provide a safer environment for Mountaineer fans and to expedite entry into all ticketed WVU athletic events, the West Virginia Department of Intercollegiate Athletics enforces the NFL's Clear Bag Policy. The athletic department invites and encourages fans to visit WVUsports.com/clearbag for more information, to view pictures of permissible and non-permissible items and to obtain answers to frequently asked questions about the clear bag policy.
 
The Mountaineers (1-0) officially return to Morgantown for the first time since their thrilling run through the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Thursday's matchup is the squad's second straight top-10 battle, as WVU opened its season with a 1-0 win at No. 5 Georgetown on Aug. 18. The Mountaineers are 15-5-1 all-time in home season openers.
 
"We hope that we have the No. 1 crowd behind us, as they were all last season," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "We hope we're picking up new fans, too. We need to make sure everyone is coming out and rocking the stadium."
 
Regional foes, WVU and UVA (1-0) meet for the first time since 2011, a 2-1 loss for the No. 13 Mountaineers to the No. 10 Cavaliers on Aug. 19, at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. One year prior, WVU stole a 1-0 win over No. 9 UVA, as Mallory Smith's goal in the 83rd minute pushed the Mountaineers to victory at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
 
"Virginia plays great soccer and is very dynamic," Izzo-Brown said. "It's going to be a battle Thursday night. This used to be a big rivalry, and they're one of the best teams in the country."
 
WVU is 3-9-1 all-time against the Cavaliers.
 
Following her game-winning performance in the victory over the Hoyas, senior forward Michaela Abam enters Thursday night needing one goal to push her career total to 34 and move into a tie with Ashley Banks (2004-07) for fifth place on the Mountaineers' career goals list. The Houston native shows 79 career points and ranks ninth in program history.
 
Sophomore Rylee Foster made seven saves at GU for her ninth career clean sheet. A native of Cambridge, Ontario, she also defended nine corner kicks, and the combined effort helped land her the first Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor of the 2017 season.
 
UVA also earned a win in its season opener, scoring a 2-0 victory at UNCW on Aug. 18. Sophomore forward Alissa Gorzak netted the game-winner in the 18th minute, and freshman midfielder Taryn Torres added the insurance goal in the 52nd minute. Rookie goalkeeper Laurel Ivory did not have to make a save, as UVA held UNCW to just two shots all night.
 
The Cavaliers were picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason standings. Senior forward Veronica Latsko was named to the All-ACC Preseason Team after pacing UVA in 2016 with four game-winning goals.