Sixth-seeded Soccer to face Utah Valley in Second Round of NCAA Tournament
GREENVILLE, N.C. – National six seed Razorback Soccer (11-3, 7-1 SEC) is set to face Utah Valley (13-4-4, 10-2-2 WAC) on Saturday, May 1st in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. First kick at Johnson Stadium on the campus of East Carolina University is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT. This will be the first matchup between the two programs all-time.
Match 15 Info
Opponent: Utah Valley Wolverines
Date: Saturday, May 1
First Kick: 3 p.m. CT
Stream: es.pn/3eHIrRG
Match Central: bit.ly/Rd2MatchCentral
Scouting the Wolverines
Utah Valley advanced to the Second Round with a 1-0 win against No. 25 Memphis on Wednesday, April 28. The Wolverines also won the WAC Tournament title two weeks ago after defeating Seattle U.
Redshirt junior Sadie Brockbank leads Utah Valley with six goals, five assists, and 17 points. Amber Tripp and Jenna Shepherd, the WAC Defensive Player of the Year, were both named First Team All-WAC. Isabel Jones-Dawe has made 19 starts in goal with a 0.82 GAA and 59 saves.
Utah Valley’s 113 total points ranks ninth nationally and 39 goals rank eighth. The Wolverines lead the WAC in shutout percentage (.524) and goals-against-average (.730).
Last Time Out
The Razorbacks finished the Spring season with a pair of matches against Arkansas State. The Razorbacks won the match in Jonesboro by a score of 2-1 on Mar. 20. It was the first matchup between the two programs all-time. Arkansas opened the scoring with a goal from Bryana Hunter and Anna Podojil put away the game-winner in the 61st-minute.
The second meeting was an exhibition in Fayetteville that featured four, 20-minute periods. The Hogs also won that formatted contest 2-1.
Quick Kicks
>> Arkansas comes into the NCAA Tournament as the highest-seeded SEC team. This is the second-straight year the Hogs earned a national seed.
>> This will be the Razorbacks’ seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in eight seasons. The seven appearances are the only in program history and have all come under Head Coach Colby Hale. With the First Round bye, Arkansas will have advanced to the Second Round or further in six of those seasons.
>> The Hogs will be meeting Utah Valley for the first time in program history.
>> A win on Saturday would send Arkansas to the Sweet 16 for the just the second time in school history. The Razorbacks were one of the final 16 in their first NCAA Tournament appearance before falling to Duke in penalty kicks in 2013.
>> The match against Utah Valley will be the first counted contest for the Hogs in almost a month and a half. Arkansas last played in a 2-1 win at Arkansas State on March 20.
>> Despite only playing three matches in the Spring, Arkansas ranks in the top-16 nationally in total points (103), goals (34), and assists (35). The Razorbacks’ scoring offense of 2.43 is also 14th nationally.
