Lady'Backs look to return to winning ways

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team looks to get back to their winning ways when it travels to Huntsville, Ala., to participate in the Alabama A&M Tournament where it takes on Grambling State University on Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

Coming off a tough loss to Oral Roberts on Tuesday, Arkansas has had a few days to rest after playing three games in five days and head coach Gordon Henderson believes that the team is ready for a big win.

“I don’t think that we approach this game any different than we have the others,” Henderson said. “I am very pleased with the way we have played and we are getting better and better. I believe that the first half against Oral Roberts was an anomaly, but it was part of the learning curve that we have to go through.”

Paced by sophomore defender Allison Harris who leads the Lady Razorbacks with three points on the season, it has been Arkansas’ defense that has kept Arkansas in the hunt. Surrendering just six goals in five games, Arkansas is on pace to break its all-time record for fewest goals allowed in a single season. The Lady Razorbacks allowed just 20 scored during the 1991 season to set the record.

“The theme that we have had for this whole group has been team defense,” Henderson said. “The system that we play requires that everyone play defense from defenders to midfielders to forwards.”

Arkansas’ Friday opponent should prove to be a tough task for the Lady Razorbacks. Grambling enters the contest with a 3-2-0 record and have been excellent with the ball as Candace Nzekor leads the squad with five goals including two game winners.

What Grambling has to worry about is playing as fit a team as the Lady Razorbacks who have begun to develop a reputation of constant pressure. The Lady Razorbacks are solid throughout the field and have caused teams to wilt under their high octane effort.

“Grambling is definitely the cream of the crop of teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” Henderson said. “We have never played them and they are a relatively new program, so what we have to do is focus on the what we need to do. We learned from last game and the players really turned it around in the second half, I have to give them credit.”

For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.