Lauren Wilson is tired of practicing with an empty sideline. For weeks now, Wilson and her teammates have been playing more against each other than as a team. They want a new opponent.

On Friday, the Lady Topper soccer team will hit the field for its first exhibition game of the season. The team hosts Memphis at 7 p.m.

“It gives us a chance to show our fans a preview of the season,” Wilson said.

This year coach Jason Neidell chose to schedule Memphis because, “We really wanted to play someone good for a real test preseason. They were picked preseason to win their conference.”

Along with Friday night’s exhibition game, the team will play two other exhibitions, Saturday at Tennessee Tech and Monday at home against Union.

“Exhibition games are a really great chance to see what personnel you can fit in certain areas,” Neidell said.

According to Neidell, exhibition games will play a major role in determining starting positions.

“Exhibition games are everything,” he said. “(They provide) plenty of opportunity to play well.”

Neidell added it gives the team a chance to experiment and juggle the lineup.

He has not yet named starters for the exhibitions. Instead, players who don’t get any playing time in Friday’s game will play in one of the other exhibition games.

Reach Beth Wilberding at [email protected]