Soccer looks to rebound against Oral Roberts

FAYETTEVILLE – Coming off a gut wrenching loss to the 10th-ranked team in the central region, the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team looks to rebound and get back on the winning side of the ledger as it travels to Tulsa, Okla., to take on the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 7:00 p.m.

The Lady Razorbacks were bitterly disappointed after losing to what was, on paper, a stronger team on Sunday afternoon when it fell to the University of Oklahoma. Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson even thought enough to bring it up in his post-match interviews about the disappointment from the team who thought it could defeat the Sooners, especially after tying the game at one in the 74th minute of action.

“Looking ahead, the ORU game is very important,” Henderson said. “It would be a tremendous uplift for us to get back on the winning side. ORU is a tough team and beat Tulsa 1-0. The test for us is how we bounce back emotionally from a tough loss.”

The Lady Razorbacks enter the Tuesday night tussle with a 2-2-0 overall record while Oral Roberts streaks in with a mark of 3-1-0 and the winners of their past three matches. On Arkansas’ side is the history between the two schools. The Lady Razorbacks are 6-1-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles including a 3-1 victory over Oral Roberts last season in Fayetteville. Both teams defeated Tulsa this season 1-0.

For Arkansas to be successful against Oral Roberts and throughout the 2004 season it must continue to work hard both with and without the ball. Against Oklahoma, Lady Razorbacks were all over the field intercepting passes and creating opportunities out of what would otherwise have gone against Arkansas. The Lady’Backs’ work rate has increased exponentially and that tireless effort should produce a number of scoring opportunities as the season progresses.

Oral Roberts is a solid defensive team that has posted three consecutive shutouts. After giving up six goals in their opener with Texas Tech, the Golden Eagles have not been scored upon in over 270 minutes of soccer action as they bring loads of confidence into their match with the Lady Razorbacks.