Soccer travels to Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After three consecutive weekends at home the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team tries to keep its momentum going at the Univ. of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Friday night in a pivotal Southeastern Conference matchup.
While the Lady’Backs are just coming off a tie last Sunday afternoon, the result came against the then sixth-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols. That game came on the heels of a 1-0 loss to the then 21st-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and built great confidence among the Lady Razorbacks.
“I am pleased with the way we are playing,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “The next couple of games are very important. We’ve lost some players to injury and we’ll have to see how quickly we can get them back to health. The confidence that this team has shown over the past couple of weeks is the best that I’ve seen in my time. They are a very close group and genuinely believe that they are good enough to be at the elite levels. However, there is no question that we are going to have to prove ourselves on the road this weekend.”
In order for Arkansas to be successful this weekend it will have to find a way to score goals. In four SEC games this fall, the Lady’Backs have tallied just three scores and are without the services of several key players who are injured. Junior Lindsay Patterson is the most likely candidate to grab a lion’s share of the burden as she is tied amongst the team for goals scored with six. Other forwards that are going to have to make an impact throughout the course of the season include Whitney Allison, Kat Moffett, Ally Atkins and Rachel Carlson.
Alabama enters the Friday night tilt with an identical record to the Lady Razorbacks at 8-4-1. The Crimson Tide’s season has been similar to the Lady Razorbacks with a strong non-conference showing followed by success in their opening weekend of SEC play. That’s where the similarity ends as Alabama dropped both of its SEC games last weekend to Mississippi State and Mississippi on the road. Alabama’s struggles have come defensively as it has conceded 15 goals this fall, but has made up for the goals allowed by scoring 30.
Over the years Arkansas and Alabama have played several memorable matches with one of the best showings by the Lady Razorbacks coming just last fall at Lady’Back Field. In that contest, Arkansas put together the most lopsided competition in the 14 career meetings between the two sides with a 5-0 win. It was the second season in a row that the Lady’Backs had defeated Alabama matching a school best.
For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.
