No. 3 Razorback Soccer faces road test at Alabama
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – The third-ranked Arkansas soccer team heads to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to face the Alabama Crimson Tide (1-1-1) on Sunday afternoon. First kick at the Alabama Soccer Stadium is set for 2 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Match 4 Info
Opponent: Alabama Crimson Tide (1-1-1)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 11
First Kick: 2 p.m. CT
Live Stats: bit.ly/3iIGgNE
Live Stream: es.pn/3d7z7Fy
Television: ESPNU
Last Time Out
>> The Razorbacks upset No. 5 Texas A&M on Oct. 4 by a score of 2-1 at Razorback Field. Arkansas picked up goals from Parker Goins in the 11th-minute and in the 53rd-minute by Kayla McKeon. The Aggies got one back eight minutes later, but the Arkansas defense held out for the remaining 30 minutes to secure the win. It’s Arkansas’ sixth win against a top-10 opponent since 2016 and 20th win at home in the past three seasons.
It was the second goal of the year for Goins who earned her second career SEC Offensive POTW, while McKeon notched her first goal of the season.
Scouting the Crimson Tide
Alabama spent the first two weeks ranked at No. 15 before falling in a road match to the Florida Gators, 2-1, on Oct. 4. The Crimson Tide are led by junior forward Riley Mattingly, who scored two of Alabama’s goals in its season-opening win against Tennessee. In goal, McKinley Crone has played every minute for the Crimson Tide. She’s allowed four goals on the season and made 18 stops, 10 of which came against Florida.
Quick Kicks
>> The Razorbacks are 10-13-3 all-time against the Crimson Tide but are 5-1-1 since the start of the Colby Hale era in 2012. Arkansas downed Alabama in its SEC-opener last season, 1-0, with the lone goal coming off the boot of sophomore Anna Podojil in the seventh-minute.
>> Arkansas picked up a 2-1 win over No. 5 Texas A&M on Oct. 4. It was the third-straight win over the Aggies after an eight-match slide in the all-time series. The Razorbacks are now 6-2-1 in their last nine matches against top-10 opponents since 2016.
>> Senior Parker Goins was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 5 for scoring Arkansas’ first goal against Texas A&M. After A. Podojil won the award last week, it marks the first time since Sept. 10, 2018 when Arkansas took SEC Offensive POTW in consecutive weeks (Sept. 4, 2018; Sept 10, 2018).
>> The Razorbacks sit atop the SEC standings with nine points and are the only squad without a loss or tie this season in the SEC. Arkansas also leads the divisional race (six points) over Mississippi State.
>> The Arkansas attack currently leads the conference in five major categories (total goals, assists, points, scoring offense and shots per game).
>> Arkansas raked in SEC postseason awards in 2019 with head coach Colby Hale taking SEC Coach of the Year, senior Haley VanFossen winning SEC Defender of the Year and Anna Podojil being named SEC Freshman of the Year. All three were program firsts.
>> Parker Goins and Taylor Malham joined Podojil and VanFossen on the All-SEC First Team. It was just the second time in school history that Arkansas put four on the first team in one season.
>> The Hogs are coming off their fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and made it to the second round for the third time in four years. All six NCAA Tournament appearances in school history have come under head coach Colby Hale.
