Tide Soccer Hosts Key SEC Matches Against LSU, Arkansas
10/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
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The Alabama soccer team returns home this weekend for a crucial two-match home stand against Southeastern Conference opponents LSU and Arkansas at the UA Soccer Complex. The Tide will battle LSU Friday night at 7 p.m. and Arkansas Sunday at 1 p.m.
All three teams are fighting for a berth in this year’s SEC Tournament. LSU (6-5-2, 2-3-1 SEC) currently sits in the eighth and final spot, but the Crimson Tide could take over that position with a pair of wins this weekend.
“This is a very important weekend for us in order to have a chance to play in the SEC tournament,” Alabama head coach Don Staley said. “Both our opponents are also fighting for a spot so their urgency will be similar to ours. We have the home field advantage and we feed off our fans excitement so I encourage all of our fans to come out and help lift us to victory.”
Alabama will play four of its final five matches this season at home.
Alabama (6-5-2, 0-4-2 SEC) has scratched and clawed its way through the first half of SEC play the past month. The Tide have been forced to deal with a number of key injuries that have limited the team’s ability on both offense and defense, but have still managed to stay in the race after tying No. 18 Florida and Kentucky. Alabama will enter Friday’s action looking to break a three-match losing skid.
“By now its no secret within the league about our makeshift line-up due to injuries,” Staley said. “Yet, it is what it is and this young group must find a way to defend our home turf this weekend. Our youth will be our strength in the future; however, the future is now.”
In Sunday’s match against Mississippi State, Alabama started four freshmen and played 11 in all. Alabama’s freshmen have combined for 37 starts this season including all 15 matches at goalkeeper.
Despite last weekend’s results, Staley sees signs of optimism for his young team.
“Although our results last weekend were disappointing, we had 33 scoring opportunities in Sunday’s match and I see that as a reason to believe we can still get the job done.”
LSU moved into eighth place in the SEC last Friday with a 1-0 win over Georgia. The Tigers other conference win came against Mississippi State two weeks ago. LSU is under the guidance of Brian Lee, who is in his first season at LSU.
Only four players have scored for LSU this season. Senior Kate Ripple is the team’s leading scorer. She has scored 6 of the team’s 15 goals this season. LSU is ranked 10th in the SEC in goals scored but is fourth in goals allowed. Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU 8-1-1 and has won three in-a-row in the series. The Tide is perfect against the Tigers in Tuscaloosa.
Statistically, Arkansas (4-9, 1-5 SEC) sits near the bottom of the conference in both goals scored and goals allowed. The Hogs have just 14 goals to their credit this season and have been shut-out six times but sit one point ahead of Alabama in the standings. Christina Burger leads Arkansas in scoring with five goals and three assists.
