No. 7 Hogs set to face Northwestern State for NCAA First Round
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Seventh-ranked Arkansas (16-4-0) returns to Fayetteville to make its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance, hosting Northwestern State for the first round. The single-elimination tournament will begin on Friday, Nov. 12, with the Hogs and the Demons kicking off at 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will air on SEC Network Plus.
The Razorbacks won their third straight SEC regular season title after shutting out No. 19 Auburn, 2-0, and secured the western division after downing Mississippi State, 2-0. Arkansas advanced to its sixth straight SEC Tournament title game, falling to No. 10 Tennessee, 3-0.
The Hogs went 1-1 at last year’s event, defeating Utah Valley then falling to eventual national champion Santa Clara in the Sweet 16.
Match 21 Info
Opponent: Northwestern State
What: NCAA First Round
Date: Friday, Nov. 12
First Kick: 6:30 p.m. CT
Links: Live Stats | SEC Network+ Josh Haley (play-by-play) and Kelly Hellbusch (analyst)
Scouting the Lady Demons
Northwestern State is making its fourth tournament appearance and its first since 2005.
NSU currently sits at 12-5-2 and is the Southland Conference’s regular season and tournament champion. The Lady Demons nearly swept the league’s postseason awards, winning coach, player, freshman, forward, defender and goalkeeper of the year.
Player of the Year Olivia Draguicevich leads the conference with 13 goals and 29 points.
Quick Kicks
>> The teams have never met on the pitch.
>> The Razorbacks are making their eighth appearance in the last nine years with a 7-5-2 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament
>> The Hogs have outscored opponents 58-19 this season
>> Arkansas went on a 14-0 run, the longest win streak in program history
- The run started on Aug. 30 and ended on Oct. 28.
- The Razorbacks outscored opponents 48-6 during the stretch
>> Six Hogs earned SEC Postseason Honors
- Bryana Hunter: SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and First Team All-SEC
- Parker Goins: SEC Midfielder of the Year and First Team All-SEC
- Anna Podojil: First Team All-SEC
- Taylor Malham: First Team All-SEC
- Kayla McKeon: Second Team All-SEC
- Sophia Aragon: SEC All-Freshman Team
>> The Hogs are 29-3-2 in Fayetteville since 2018.
>> Senior Parker Goins notched her 105th point versus Missouri, breaking the program’s record all-time points record (103).
>> The Razorbacks were picked first in the SEC preseason coaches poll, tied with Texas A&M.
>> Three of the Hogs wins have come against ranked teams; No. 13 Tennessee, No. 24 BYU and No. 19 Auburn.
>> Six Hogs were named to the 2021-22 SEC Preseason Watch List, announced earlier this month by the league office. Parker Goins, Anna Podojil, Taylor Malham, and Bryana Hunter earned preseason all-league honors for the third straight year. Kayla McKeon made her first appearance on the list following her All-SEC Second Team season, while Louisville transfer Jessica De Filippo makes her first appearance on the list.
>> Anna Podojil and Parker Goins were named to the MAC Hermann Award Watch List. Goins and Podojil, who were both named to the SEC Preseason Watch List the same week, earned first team All-SEC honors in 2020 and led Arkansas to its second-straight SEC regular-season title.
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