The schedule reads Lipscomb University, Friday Sept. 27, but deep in the hearts of every member of the University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawk soccer team Friday Sept. 27 is a date with history.

If the Skyhawks (4-2-1) beat Lipscomb (1-5-1), they will claim their fifth victory of the season and the most wins in a single year for the five-year-old program.

“I have purposely not talked about this,” said Nathan Pifer, Tennessee-Martin head soccer coach. “We want to go out and play well and win because we played well. In the back of our minds this is something we want to accomplish. If we do it we will be happy, but we want to play well.”

Pifer said talking about the record and placing an emphasis on it just adds pressure that the team doesn’t need. The Skyhawks won two games in 1998, their inaugural season. In 1999, the team finished with one win.

Pifer replaced Ruth Holden in 2000 and began the rebuilding process. Wins were elusive in that first year, but Pifer brought in some top recruits and the team won four games in 2001, including a 2-0 win over Lipscomb.

This season the Skyhawks opened with wins over Louisville, Arkansas State and Arkansas Little-Rock. This past weekend the Skyhawks posted their third career shutout when they blanked Jackson State 7-0.

Two days later the Skyhawks posted their first tie in school history when Southeastern Louisiana tied the game at 1-1 after a 45-minute weather delay.

Freshman Dani Myrick scored two goals against Jackson State to lead the Skyhawks’ effort. Ginger Parsons, Sherrie Weeks, Katie Jackson, Rachel Callahan and Amy King also scored in the match.

The Skyhawks took 39 shots on goal, a new school record, while limiting upstart Jackson State to a lone shot. Callahan scored the lone goal for the Skyhawks at the 12:12 mark of the first period against host Southeastern Louisiana this past Sunday. Southeastern Louisiana tied the game in the second half on a free kick.

"I feel like the rain evened the teams out,” Pifer said. “It turned into a sloppy game.”

The Skyhawks managed one shot on goal in the first overtime period, while Southeastern Louisiana was able to get one shot on goal in each of the overtime periods.

The Skyhawks will open Ohio Valley Conference play at 2 p.m. Sunday when Austin Peay comes to town. The visiting Lady Govs are playing their inaugural season.

“All of the conference games are big, and your home games are important,” Pifer said. “It's critical we start out with a win and stay on the positive side. Hopefully we have done the right things to prepare for the conference schedule.”