Moon Township, Pa.-The Robert Morris University men's soccer team announced its 18-game 2012 schedule. The Colonials will play 18 games this season, eight of which will take place at the friendly confines of North Athletic Complex.

Robert Morris opens the season with a pair of home games in late August. Cleveland State will be the team's opening day opponent August 24 in a 3:00 p.m. game. Canisius visits Moon Township two days later for another 3:00 p.m. contest Sunday.

A three-game road trip follows with the team's first road game to take place at Navy Aug. 30. It will be the first meeting between the Midshipmen and the Colonials since a season-opening game in 1998. RMU finishes the swing by playing UMBC Sept. 1 before traveling west to Dayton, Ohio, and a Sept. 8 date with Wright State.

One game at home against Hartwick Sept. 15 precedes a four-game road trip and the close of the non-conference schedule. Robert Morris travels to the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Oakland where they will play the Pitt Panthers, competing for the first time at the Petersen Sports Complex Sept. 19. The non-league competition ends Sept. 23 with a game at the University at Buffalo.

Sacred Heart hosts Robert Morris in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams Friday, Sept. 28. The Colonials finish out the four-game swing by traveling to Smithfield, R.I. for a Sept. 30 date with the Bryant Bulldogs.

Three straight home games, the longest such stretch of the season for the Colonials, follows the longest road trip. St. Francis (N.Y.) visits first on Oct. 5 followed by Central Connecticut State (Oct. 7) and Saint Francis (Pa.) (Oct. 14). Three road games are next as RMU makes the trip to New Jersey to take on Garden State clubs Monmouth (Oct. 19) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Oct. 21).

A split weekend follows as the Colonials travel to Mount St. Mary's Oct. 26 before returning back to the North Athletic Complex to take on Quinnipiac (Oct. 28). The regular season comes to a close Nov. 4 when Robert Morris hosts LIU Brooklyn.