LSU soccer coach Brian Lee doesn’t have many doubts about how his club’s talent level compares with the rest of the nation.
In his 10th season at the helm, Lee has pieced together a roster comprised of seven all-conference performers, two top-15 recruiting classes and 11 players who have received national-team invitations.
Despite the individual talent that now fills the squad’s lineup, the Tigers lack a key ingredient for any team with postseason aspirations — continuity with one another on the field. However, the squad’s upcoming five-day stretch will be the ideal opportunity to develop that cohesion.
After a 2-0 victory against Troy on Aug. 22 to kick off the 2014 campaign, the Tigers (1-0) now face an early-season test of three games in five days. The first contest will be against Northwestern State (1-1) at 7 p.m. tonight at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
“The games really speed up our growth process,” Lee said. “You can only get so much out of training against yourselves.”
The looming three-game stretch could help quickly nurture the Tigers’ chemistry on the field after a busy offseason limited the squad’s time together.
The Tigers had a shorter preseason to prepare together than previous years because four members of LSU’s squad participated in the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup this summer.
However, the lack of experience with one another wasn’t much of a hindrance during LSU’s season opener against the Trojans. The Tigers’ 20 shot attempts nearly doubled Troy’s offensive output, and the squad’s back line limited the opposition to only three shots on goal.
Of the 16 players who saw action against the Trojans, nine were making their LSU debut appearances, including seven freshmen. Lee said the team’s talent helped mask some of the blunders on the field.
“They made some young player mistakes that were probably covered up by their athleticism and talent, and then other times when they played really well,” Lee said. “It’ll be a growing process, and we expect to see an improved performance from our whole team on Friday.”
The Tigers may get a boost on the defensive end when they square off against the Lady Demons, who were blanked against Louisiana-Monroe after exploding for nine goals in their season opener.
Brian Lee said sophomore defender and All-Southeastern Conference performer Megan Lee, who missed LSU’s season opener because of an injury she suffered as a New Zealand’s national team member prior to the season, is now listed as “day-to-day.”
But the possibility of Megan Lee rejoining a young back line, which featured three true freshmen against Troy, won’t necessarily result in immediate coordination. That can only come through game experience.
“Defending is so much about communication and organization, and it can only come through some time together,” Brian Lee said. “We’re certainly going to have some bumps in the road in the early season, but we’re just looking for the kids to cover up for each other.”
Communication doesn’t seem to be a problem for freshman goalkeeper Lily Alfeld, and neither is deflecting shots.
Alfeld, the keeper on New Zealand’s national team this summer, recorded three saves and shut out the Trojans in her Tiger debut.
Alfeld’s guidance for the back line was just as vital. She helped the young Tiger defenders limit Troy’s offensive opportunities, and her composure during her first collegiate game impressed midfielder Alex Arlitt, the team’s lone senior.
“I’ve only known [Alfeld] a couple of days myself, and she seems like a really confident kid,” Arlitt said. “She came right in, was very vocal and led the back line really well.”