No. 9 Razorback Soccer Hosts Top 10 Matchup With No. 5 Texas A&M
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – Ninth-ranked Arkansas Soccer (2-0) will be back at Razorback Field for a Top 10 matchup with the No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies (1-0) on Senior Day this Sunday, Oct. 4. First kick in Fayetteville is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and the match will be televised on SEC Network. Fans are invited to stay for postgame Senior Day festivities that will take place on the field.
Match 3 Info
Opponent: No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies (1-0)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 4
First Kick: 2 p.m. CT
Live Stats: bit.ly/3cNhpaf
Live Stream: bit.ly/32H1uHc
Television: SEC Network
Last Time Out
The Razorbacks downed the Kentucky Wildcats 4-1 in Arkansas’ first road trip of the season. Forward Anna Podojil tallied six points with two goals and two assists. The sophomore got Arkansas started early, scoring the first goal at the eight-minute mark. After the Wildcats evened the score with a PK, A. Podojil sent a ball across the box in the 49th-minute that Taylor Malham headed to the back of the net. The sophomore forward added another goal by sidestepping a Wildcat defender and sending a ball to the back post over the Kentucky ‘keeper. Arkansas finished off the scoring in the final minute when A. Podojil found freshman Ava Tankersley in the middle of the box for her first career goal.
Scouting the Aggies
Due to COVID-19 protocols postponing their match against Auburn on Sept. 27, the Aggies are back on the field for their first game since a 3-0 shutout win against Ole Miss on Sept. 19. Senior midfielder Addie McCain recorded two goals in just eight minutes coming out of the halftime break and Laney Carroll added another in the 61st-minute for the Aggies.
Goalkeeper Shantel Hutton earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week after posting her ninth career shutout and six saves in the first weekend of action.
Seniors Being Honored
Julia Laskaris | #5 | Defender | Plano, Texas
Caroline Campbell | #8 | Forward | Bryant, Ark.
Brooke Pirkle | #11 | Defender | Cumming, Ga.
Kayla McKeon | #12 | Midfielder | Garland, Texas
Mandi Wilson | #28 | Midfielder | Germantown, Md.
Taylor Beitz | #33 | Goalkeeper | Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Quick Kicks
>> The Razorbacks are 6-9-1 all-time against Texas A&M and 3-4-0 when playing in Fayetteville. However, Arkansas has won the last two meetings including a 3-2 upset victory over the second-ranked Aggies in 2018.
>> The win in 2018 ended an eight-match slide against Texas A&M that dated back to 1994.
>> Arkansas’ 3-1 win last season in Bryan-College Station clinched the West Division title en route to the Razorbacks first SEC regular season championship. It was also the only defeat for Texas A&M at Ellis Field in 2019.
>> Sophomore Anna Podojil was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Week and the United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week after scoring two goals and dishing out a pair of assists in a 4-1 victory over Kentucky. Podojil is tied for the second most goals by a single player in the SEC this season.
>> Arkansas moved up four spots to No. 9 in the second United Soccer Coaches poll that was released on September 29th, while Texas A&M remained at No. 5.
>> The Razorbacks sit alone atop the SEC with six total points and are tied with Ole Miss and No. 5 Texas A&M at the top spot of the West Division with three points.
>> Since Colby Hale became head coach in 2012, the Razorbacks have won 58 out of their 85 home games and are 19-1-2 the past three seasons.
>> Arkansas currently leads the nation with 12.00 SOG per game and leads the conference in total goals (6) and points (16).
>> 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.
>> 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.
