It’s now or never for the LSU soccer team.
The Tigers (5-10-2, 1-6-1 Southeastern Conference) are preparing to make run at qualifying for the Southeastern Conference Tournament in its three-game home stand to end the season, which starts with its matchup against Kentucky at 7 p.m. tonight at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
Coming into tonight’s matchup, the Tigers are 13th in the SEC standings, putting them outside the tournament field of the top 10 teams in the conference.
The Wildcats (10-5-0, 5-3-0 SEC) enter the game fourth in the conference standings and rolling on a three-game win streak.
Since earning its only conference win against Mississippi State on Oct. 3, LSU has dropped its last four matches. The Tigers have continued to struggle to defend against set pieces during the stretch.
“In the SEC, we’ve actually defended flow of play really well,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “We’ve really struggled on set pieces. We are looking at personnel and making sure we’ve got the right people on the field to defend them as much as possible.”
According to Lee, eight of the 11 goals the Tigers have given up in the last six games have come from LSU’s inability to clear second or third balls out of the box on set pieces.
LSU’s defense has allowed 36 corners in their matches against South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.
“If you let down mentally or physically in the SEC, someone is going to stuff a ball into your box…then there’s a good chance that will result in goal,” Lee said.
While the Tigers have been stout defensively in the regular flow of play, they will be challenged by the dynamic Wildcat offense.
Senior defender Arin Gilliland, sophomore forward Jade Klump and junior midfielder Courtney Raetzman lead Kentucky’s offense with six goals apiece on the season.
Kentucky’s offense leads the SEC in shot-on-goal percentage with 47.3 percent.
The Wildcats’ accurate shots will test the Tigers’ junior starting keeper Catalina Rubiano, who has only three starts under her belt. Rubiano has nine saves on the season.
Offensively, the Tigers hope to get their offense clicking again after netting only three goals in their last four games. LSU has struggled to put shots on frame. In the last four games, the Tigers have only 9 out of their 38 shots on goal.
Part of the Tigers’ struggles on offense and defense is the fatigue on their young starters. Five of LSU’s starters are freshmen who have had to adjust to the grind of the SEC schedule.
Playing at home for their last three games should help the Tigers relax and create better opportunities. The Tigers have scored 17 goals at home, compared to only 9 goals on the road.