Alabama
Vanderbilt
Alabama Soccer Hosts Vanderbilt Thursday Night in Last Regular Season Match
10/26/2016 1:13:00 PM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama soccer team will conclude the 2016 regular season on Thursday night when it hosts the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Alabama Soccer Complex in a match that's set to start at 7 p.m. CT. The Crimson Tide enters the regular season finale with an overall 8-7-2 record including a 3-5-2 mark in Southeastern Conference play.
Follow Thursday's Match
Live Stats: RollTide.com
Radio: N/A
Watch: SEC Network+
Twitter: @AlabamaSoccer
SERIES HISTORY – VANDERBILT
When Alabama and Vanderbilt face each other on Thursday, it will mark the 23rd meeting between the two schools in series that dates back to inaugural 1986 season. The Tide trails 5-13-4 in the series. The last time the two played each other was the 2014 season, as Alabama defeated Vanderbilt in a 1-0 decision in Nashville, Tenn. The Commodores enter Thursday's match with an overall 9-7-1 record including a 5-4-1 mark in league play. Vanderbilt is currently sitting in sixth place in the conference. Both teams have already clinched a berth to the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., which is set to start on Monday, Oct. 31.
PROMOTIONS
Admission is free for all fans and students. Thursday night's match is being promoted as 'Experience Thursday Nights Under The Lights/Kick or Treat.' Students who attend will receive Crimson Tide Rewards Double Points, and those who have attended all four Thursday Night matches this season will be entered to win a grand prize given out at halftime of the match. There will also be a kick or treat bounce house, costume contest, Halloween decorations and post-game pictures with the players. This week's featured giveaway item will be the Alabama soccer crest and Halloween candy.
ROAD TO ORANGE BEACH
Last Sunday, Alabama tied LSU, 0-0, in a match that was decided in double overtime in Baton Rouge, La. With the draw and a Georgia loss, the Tide clinched a berth to the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., which is set to start on Monday, Oct. 31.
Alabama was picked to finish 13th in the 2016 Southeastern Conference women's soccer standings, as voted by the league's 14 head coaches.
Through the first six game of the regular season, Alabama posted a 5-1 mark.
To begin Southeastern Conference play, Alabama topped the Tennessee Volunteers, 5-1, in Knoxville, Tenn. The win over Tennessee marked the first SEC road opener victory since the 2014 season, when the Tide defeated Tennessee in a 1-0 decision that went into double-overtime. Moreover, Alabama's win over the Volunteers was also significant in that it marked the largest margin of victory in an SEC opener in program history. It was also the second largest margin of victory over an SEC opponent in program history, behind the 5-0 win over LSU in the 1997 season. With the Tennessee victory, Alabama improved to an overall 6-1 record marking the best start since the 2005 season.
Alabama played its third consecutive match that was decided in sudden death overtime when it upset No. 14 Texas A&M, 2-1. The win over the Aggies marked the first time the Tide recorded a victory over a ranked Southeastern Conference opponent since the 2014 season. Moreover, it was Alabama's first victory over Texas A&M since the 1995 season. Additionally, it was the first win over a top-25 opponent under head coach Wes Hart.
The Tide went on to top the Georgia Bulldogs, 3-1, in its annual Power of Pink match and Senior Night. With the win, Alabama is one win away from breaking into the Tide's top-10 all-time single season wins list. Junior forward Lacey Clarida had a notable performance, as she found the back of the net on a penalty kick in the 35th minute to give the Tide the lead back at 2-1. Clarida's goal ended up being the game-winner, and she is now tied for second on Alabama's single season game-winning goals list with four this season.
The match against LSU marked the second double overtime contest for the Tide this season, and it's the second draw Alabama has had this year. Moreover, it marked the third consecutive match against the Tigers that was decided in double overtime. Additionally, it was the fifth straight match in which the two have played each other in extra minutes.
NATIONAL NUMBERS
The Tide has three individuals who have earned national attention with their performances thus far this season. Junior Lacey Clarida is tied for No. 32 in the NCAA in game-winning goals with four. Sophomores Abbie Boswell and Emma Welch are tied for No. 42 in the country in total assists with seven and they are also tied for No. 55 in assists per game, averaging 0.41.
LEADING THE SEC
Individually, the Tide has two student-athletes that are ranked in the top-five in four different categories. Clarida is tied for third in game-winning goals (4) and goals per game (0.70). Defensively, Stratton is fifth in save percentage (0.779) and fourth in saves with 74.
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER RPI
The 2016 Alabama soccer team is making a case to be mentioned among the most improved teams in NCAA Division I this season. After ending the 2015 season with only five total wins (5-12-2), the Crimson Tide has already surpassed last year's win total as it boasts a record of 8-7-2 during the current campaign.
Alabama was No. 87 in this week's RPI rankings, which is the sixth time it has been in the top-100 this year. The first set of rankings that came out had the Tide at No. 75, and the team has remained in the top-100 ever since, reaching as high as No. 51. In comparison, Alabama finished with a No. 213 RPI ranking a year ago.
UNDER HEAD COACH WES HART
The Crimson Tide is in its second year under the helm of Wes Hart. Hart's inaugural season had a major focus on transition and the future of the program. Highlights from his inaugural season included Hart's first win as a head coach that came in the home opener against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), handing Wake Forest its first shutout of the year (Aug. 28, 2015), giving LSU its first loss of the season (Sept. 11, 2015) in the 3-2 double overtime comeback win and a hard fought double overtime win at Georgia (Oct. 16, 2016), which marked Hart's first road win.
Home game attendance increased significantly in Hart's first season, as the Tide drew over 719 fans per game – the largest average since the 2012 season. The Alabama Soccer Complex saw a crowd of 1,575 for its first game against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), the second-highest single-game home attendance in program history. Fans then answered the call to keep attendance in the quadruple digits later that week against Wake Forest (Aug. 28, 2015), when 1,007 fans packed the Soccer Complex.
The 5-0 victory against Sam Houston State this season marked Hart's first win in a season opener with the Tide. With the shutout against Florida Gulf Coast, Hart registered his tenth since he arrived to Tuscaloosa. Alabama defeated Tennessee, 5-1, to begin SEC play, marking the largest recorded win over an SEC opponent in program history. With the win over Tennessee, Alabama improved to an overall 6-1 record marking the best start since the 2005 campaign. The victory also marked the first SEC road opener victory since the 2014 season, when the Tide defeated Tennessee in a 1-0 decision that went into double-overtime. Moreover, Alabama's win over the Volunteers was also significant in the fact that it marked the largest margin of victory in an SEC opener in program history. It was also the second largest margin of victory over an SEC opponent in program history, behind the 5-0 win over LSU in the 1997 season. Hart picked up his first career win over a top-25 opponent Sept. 25, when Alabama registered an upset win over No. 14 Texas A&M in a match that was decided in sudden death overtime. Moreover, it is Alabama's first win over Texas A&M since 1995 and it's the first win over a top-25 opponent since Hart has taken the reigns. The Tide went on to top the Georgia Bulldogs, 3-1, in its annual Power of Pink match and Senior Night. With the win, Alabama is one win away from breaking into the Tide's top-10 all-time single season wins list.
COMING UP
The Tide is set to participate in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., on Monday, Oct. 31. The opponent and start time of the match are still be determined.
