In a fierce back-and-forth battle, LSU soccer and No. 9 Arkansas played to a 1-1 draw on Thursday with both goals scored late in the second half.
While LSU did not get the win, its performance significantly increased since the 4-1 loss to Alabama on Oct. 13.
Arkansas is ranked first in the SEC, while LSU is eighth. The Razorbacks have dominated this season with consistently staying in the NCAA Top 25. Holding this team to a tie and one goal was a big accomplishment for the Tigers.
From the beginning, Arkansas played physically. However, LSU matched Arkansas’ aggressiveness with a strong defensive performance.
“I think we knew we were going to have a really tough battle on our hands against Arkansas,” head coach Sian Hudson said. “Obviously, they are one of the top-ranked teams in the country. They get a lot of victories and play a style that really puts teams on the back foot.”
The Razorbacks are second in the NCAA for corner kicks, meaning they constantly attack the goal.
The Tigers held Arkansas to 13 shots total, and the Razorbacks didn’t have a shot on goal until the 30th minute mark.
Goalkeeper Mollee Swift was the backbone of LSU’s defense. With her talented performance against Arkansas, she now holds the record for most career saves in program history with 290.
“Honestly, it’s crazy,” Swift said. “I can’t really fathom it, and it’s a combination of four years of hard work at this school.”
Both teams were hungry in the second period to get the go-ahead goal after being 0-0 at half. In this defensive-heavy game, the end result came down to the wire.
In the 76th minute, midfielder Danielle Shannon passed the ball into the air, and forward Ava Galligan was near the goal line to bury the ball in the back of the net off a header, putting the Tigers up 1-0.
The Razorbacks soon responded six minutes later with a goal from midfielder Bea Franklin. Arkansas was awarded a free kick, and Hudson said she “was not a fan of the call.” The kick toward the goal brushed Swift’s hands and Franklin tapped it in to tie the game.
Swift had multiple key saves, keeping the Razorbacks scoreless till the 82nd minute. One of her most notable moments of the night came in the 64th minute with a diving, one-arm save at the goal line.
While players for both teams were scrappy throughout the game, it was the coaches who were also penalized for over-aggression.
In the 23rd minute of the first period, Arkansas head coach Colby Hale and LSU assistant head coach Seb Furness were both yellow carded for excessive yelling from the sidelines.
Arkansas associate head coach Jon Harvey was also yellow carded in the 78th minute. The Tigers had a total of 21 fouls, and the Razorbacks had 20.
The Tigers are 3-4-1 in SEC play and will face Auburn on Sunday. Their last two regular season games will be crucial for the Tigers to secure a spot in the SEC tournament.
“Every team in the SEC is really competitive, and we certainly won’t be underestimating Auburn to challenge the team,” Hudson said.
