Berry head coach Brittni Hall has released the schedule for the upcoming 2023 campaign as the slate features a four-game homestand that begins near the end of February, in addition to a full schedule of Southern Athletic Association contests.
The Vikings will host an exhibition game on Saturday against Emmanuel. The guests from Franklin Springs will visit for an in-state exhibition contest as both teams prepare to officially begin the 2023 season.
Berry’s first official game of the season will be on the road Feb. 8 as the Vikings travel to face Piedmont. The Vikings earned a home win over the Lions to begin the 2022 campaign. Three days later, the Vikings officially open Valhalla for the season as they play host to Huntingdon. Berry has yet to lose against the Hawks, winning last year’s contest in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Vikings will have a two-game road swing the weekend of Feb. 18-19 as they head to the Tar Heel State for a pair of contests. First, Berry will take on Pfeiffer, a squad it defeated at home in 2022. Berry will then play Guilford the next day in the first meeting on the women’s lacrosse field between the two schools since 2017.
A four-game homestand follows for Berry, its longest of the season. The Vikings will begin the homestand with a Feb. 22 game against cross-town rival Shorter. Berry defeated the Hawks 14-10 last year.
In a rematch of one of 2022’s most exciting games for the Vikings, Berry will host Methodist Feb. 25. The Vikings rallied with five goals in the fourth quarter last season to defeat the Lions 12-10.
Three days later, Berry will host the Knights of Calvin in the second-ever meeting between the two schools. Scheduled to be Calvin’s season opener, the teams last played in 2016.
The fourth game of the homestand will be the first game in SAA play for the Vikings as Berry takes on Centre on March 3. Abby Sprayberry’s goal with 27 seconds left in regulation was the difference last season as Berry won 11-10 to earn its first-ever win over the Colonels in 15 tries.
A spring break trip to Florida for a pair of games will beckon for the Vikings the first full week of March. The first game of the trip will feature the Vikings taking on Alvernia at a neutral site in Davenport, Florida. The two sides have never faced off in women’s lacrosse.
Two days later, Berry will face NAIA foe Warner.
The Vikings return to SAA play March 17 as they face Birmingham-Southern in Birmingham, Alabama. Berry will be looking for revenge as the Panthers eliminated the Vikings in last season’s SAA championships.
Continuing in SAA play, the Vikings will face Hendrix on March 25 back at Valhalla. Last year’s 21-7 win over the Warriors was the largest margin of victory for Berry in the all-time series.
The month of March comes to an end with Berry playing host to DePauw on March 27. This will be the first meeting between the two schools on the Berry campus.
April starts with the Vikings traveling north to face Sewanee on the first day of the month. Berry will look for its first win in the series since the 2017 campaign. The Vikings then wrap up the home regular season schedule April 11 against in-state rival Oglethorpe.
The regular season then concludes April 15 when Berry travels to take on perennial SAA power Rhodes.
The following weekend, the SAA championships will begin, with the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds taking place at the top two seeds in the tournament. The league will crown its champion the weekend of April 29 at the home of the highest remaining seed.
