Alabama Soccer Travels to Arkansas for Regular Season Finale
10/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Oct. 28, 2015
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama will play its final match of the regular season when it travels to Fayetteville, Ark., to play the Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be available on SEC Network+. The match will close out the 2015 campaign for the Crimson Tide.
The contest will mark the final game for the careers of seniors Abby Lutzenkirchen, Emily Rusk and Kaylee Semelsberger.
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FOLLOW THE TIDE
Fans can watch/follow tonight's match via the below outlets:
Gametracker: ArkansasRazorbacks.com
Watch: SEC Network+
Radio: N/A
Twitter: @AlabamaSoccer
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THE OPENING KICK
- Alabama will play its final match of the regular season when it travels to Fayetteville, Ark., to square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be available on SEC Network+. The match will close out the 2015 campaign for the Crimson Tide.
- Alabama owns the all-time series with Arkansas, 12-6-3, and is 6-3-1 against the Razorbacks in Fayetteville. In the last matchup between the SEC foes, the two sides battled to a double-overtime 0-0, in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 17, 2014.
- The Tide's win margin against Arkansas is its largest against SEC foes. Alabama has not beaten any other SEC opponent 12 or more times.
- The final road game gives the Tide a chance to earn its second victory away from home for the 2015 season.
- Alabama's first road victory came against Georgia on Oct. 16.
- Alabama's 2-1 loss on Sunday vs. Mississippi State served as the team's annual "Power of Pink" match to help generate awareness for the early detection and prevention of breast cancer. Alabama Athletics' Power of Pink initiative, started by former Crimson Tide gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer, celebrates its 12th anniversary in 2015-16.
- Following the loss against Mississippi State on Sunday, Alabama was eliminated from playing in the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala.
SENIOR SWAN SONG
- The Crimson Tide's match on Thursday will mark the end of three careers for Alabama.
- Seniors Abby Lutzenkirchen, Emily Rusk and Kaylee Semelsberger will play their final match in Crimson and White.
- Between the two defenders and goalkeeper, they have combined to play in 196 games, participated in 24 shutouts, placed themselves among the top-10 in several program records and have collected numerous academic, SEC and regional awards during their time at the Capstone.
THE CAPTAIN: Abby Lutzenkirchen
- In the 50th minute on Sunday's match against Mississippi State, senior captain Abby Lutzenkirchen broke the program's record for most minutes played.
- The skipper has accumulated 6,634 minutes on the field in an Alabama uniform, breaking the previous record of 6,592, set by Ashley Willis in 2012.
- The three-year letterwinner has started all 74 games in her collegiate career since stepping foot on campus in 2012. That marks the seventh-most in program history.
- In the 2014 campaign, the Marietta, Ga., native highlighted a defense that recorded nine shutouts, which stands as the second-most clean sheets in a season in UA history.
- Lutzenkirchen has earned several academic honors as well. Placing on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in three consecutive seasons.
- She was also selected to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District 4 First Team in 2014.
GOALKEEPER Emily Rusk
- Boasting one of the best goalkeeper resumes in the history of the Alabama women's soccer program, Emily Rusk has enjoyed an outstanding career on and off the pitch for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
- A three-year letter-winner, Rusk has anchored the Crimson Tide's defense over the last three seasons as the team's primary goalkeeper.
- The Charlotte, N.C., native recently moved into second place on the program's all-time shutouts list with 12 overall.
- Serving as the primary shot-stopper for the Tide since her sophomore season in 2013, Rusk has evolved into one of the elite goalkeepers in the Southeastern Conference.
- During the 2014 campaign, she was the first player in program history to be named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the same year.
- Rusk's other on-field accolades include being named to the All-SEC second team and being selected to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region Third Team in 2014.
- Off the field, she has been equally as impressive, earning a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in three consecutive years.
- A two-year letter-winner, Semelsberger has been an invaluable contributor to a stout Alabama defense that has collected 13 shutouts over the past two seasons.
- Besides being featured as a defender for most of her career, the versatile Semeslberger has been featured at every position but goalkeeper on the pitch.
- The Akron, Ohio native has accumulated 33 starts over her time at the Capstone.
- Off the field, she earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in three consecutive seasons.
- The super-student was recently recognized as soccer's representative in the classroom champions series, highlighting individuals from each UA Athletics program for their academic success.
JIMENEZ THE SCORING SPANIARD
- Junior transfer Celia Jimenez has been a staple in the Tide's lineup in 2015 after transferring from Iowa Western Community College last spring, as she is one of just two players on the Tide (Abby Lutzenkirchen) to start all 18 games this season.
- Jimenez currently leads the team in points (10) and goals (4), and has collected the game-winning goal in two of the Tide's five victories.
- Jimenez has also fired off a team-high 55 shots and is on pace to record 58 shots this season, which would place her sixth on The University of Alabama all-time single-season shots attempted list.
- The attacking midfielder notched the Tide's first multi-goal performance of the season in a 2-0 victory over Jacksonville State on Sept. 20 - her team-leading third and fourth goals of the 2015 campaign.
- Jimenez scored her first goal as a member of the Crimson Tide on Aug. 30 at Tennessee Tech, and cashed in the golden goal in a double-overtime victory on Sept. 11 vs. LSU.
- Her efforts against LSU and Southern Miss landed her on the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week for the week of Sept. 15.
- Three of Jimenez's four goals on the season have come off corner kicks from fellow newcomer freshman Emma Welch.
Wes Hart ERA OFFICIALLY BEGINS
- On April 9, UA Director of Athletics, Bill Battle, officially introduced Wes Hart as the fourth head coach in the history of the Alabama women's soccer program.
- Hart joins the Crimson Tide from Florida State where he spent two seasons as an assistant coach, including the Seminoles' first national championship season in 2014.
- Hart's primary responsibilities with the Seminoles included planning the offensive attack, assisting with player development and video analysis, along with other recruiting and scouting duties.
- In just two seasons at Florida State, Hart helped develop a balanced offensive attack that resulted in 407 points on 129 goals and 149 assists. The Seminoles won two back-to-back ACC championships, made two College Cup appearances, and posted a national runner-up finish and a national title. Two Seminoles garnered All-America honors during Hart's time in Tallahassee: Dagny Brynjarsdottir (2013 & 2014) and Cheyna Williams (2014). Brynjarsdottir went on to post career highs in points (38), goals (16) and shots (87) in her final season at Florida State, finishing as the runner-up for 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy.
- During FSU's run to the national title in 2014, the Seminoles ranked in the top three in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in every major offensive category, while leading the league with a school-record 90 assists. Florida State scored multiple goals in 18 of 26 games, including four times during the NCAA Tournament.
- A native of Littleton, Colo., Hart began his coaching career after spending eight years (2005-12) in a variety of roles with the Colorado Rush, one of the premier soccer clubs in the country. In his last three years with the Rush, Hart held the title of Director of Coaching Academy where he oversaw the girls ECNL teams and the boys US Development Academy teams. During his time with the Rush, Hart was involved in four national championships, including three as an assistant and one as head coach. Hart has coached several US Youth National Team players, including Lindsey Horan, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in France.
- Before entering the coaching ranks, Hart played six seasons of professional soccer in the MLS (Major League Soccer). He was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2000 MLS Super Draft by the Colorado Rapids. In four seasons with the Rapids (2000-03), Hart appeared in 68 regular season games making 60 starts. He also started seven of 10 MLS playoff games during that time. His final two seasons in the MLS came with the San Jose Earthquakes as he appeared in 25 games making 14 starts. Hart was honored as the MLS Humanitarian of the Year in 2000 and 2001.
HART GRABS FIRST CAREER VICTORY
- First-year head coach Wes Hart earned his first career victory as a head coach in the Crimson Tide's 2015 home opener on Aug. 23 vs. Troy, as the Tide defeated the Trojans by a final score of 1-0.
- Sophomore Alexis Mouton scored the game's only goal in the 77th minute, converting a cross from Chatham DeProspo from 12-yards away from the net. Mouton's goal was the second of her collegiate career.
- Senior goalkeeper Emily Rusk saved both of Troy's shots on goal to register her first shutout victory of the campaign.
BROHAUGH PROVIDING A SPARK
- Sophomore Hailey Brohaugh is quietly providing a spark to the Alabama offense, as the attacking midfielder currently ranked seventh in the SEC in shots per game (2.67).
- The Madison, Miss., collected her first goal of the season last Sunday against Mississippi State. A rebounded penalty from sophomore Chatham DeProspo landed at her feet, and Brohaugh tapped the goal in the back of the net.
- Brohaugh ranks second in the SEC with the most shots in a single game (nine) in the 3-2 double-overtime victory against LSU on Sept. 11.
CLUTCH CLARIDA
- Sophomore Lacey Clarida scored the Crimson Tide's game-winning goal and collected a team-high three shots on goal in the Tide's double-overtime victory against Georgia on Oct. 16.
- The Homer Glenn, Ill., native is now tied for first on the team for game-winning goals (two), and ranks second on the team in points (6), goals (3) and shots on goal (15).? Her other game-winning goal came against Southern Miss on Sept. 13.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALABAMA SOCCER
- Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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