LSU opened Southeastern Conference play this weekend with mixed results at the LSU Soccer Complex. The Tigers (7-1-3, 1-0-1) battled Ole Miss (4-3-3, 1-0-1) to a 1-1, double-overtime draw Sunday in a battle between regionally ranked teams. The Tigers are ranked No. 7, and the Rebels are No. 14 in the Soccer Buzz Central Region Top 15. Although LSU coach Brian Lee said he prefers wins over ties, he was not upset with the draw. “It was a really even game,” Lee said. “There was a lot of ebb and flow, and I think the end result was not unfair.” The Rebels struck first early in the match with a goal in the seventh minute when Ole Miss sophomore Hannah Weatherly scored. Weatherly received an assist from junior Christine Breaux and placed the ball over LSU senior goalkeeper Valerie Vogler’s head and into the back of the net. The lead did not last long as LSU tied the match in the 19th minute. LSU junior Roslyn Jones scored the equalizer – her sixth goal of the season – off a rebound of a shot from sophomore Melissa Clarke. Despite Ole Miss having three shots on goal in the second half and LSU having two shots of its own hit the crossbar, neither team was able to get another score before regulation came to an end. At the end of regulation, both teams had 11 total shots each. During the the overtime periods neither team could break the tie despite several corner kick opportunities. LSU started off its conference slate Friday with a win over Mississippi State. The Tigers defeated the Bulldogs (4-6-0, 0-2-0) 1-0, marking the first time since 2002 that LSU has won its SEC opener. With the win, the Tigers also extend their unbeaten streak against the Bulldogs to six games. “Mississippi State came out and fought really hard for 90 minutes,” Lee said. “We’re happy to get out with a 1-0 win.” The game’s lone goal came in the 28th minute off the head of LSU sophomore Michelle Makasini. Freshman Taryne Boudreau placed a corner kick into the penalty area at the 27:41 mark, and Makasini headed the ball into the back of the net. Makasini was appreciative of the assist from Boudreau. “It was a perfect ball from Taryne,” Makasini said. “I was lucky enough to get my head on it.” But the weekend was not all good news for the Tigers. Two Tigers suffered injuries this weekend. LSU sophomore Katherine Lagow went down with a knee injury against Mississippi State, and sophomore Veronica Godbolt suffered an ankle injury against the Rebels. Lagow is expected to miss the rest of the season, and the status of Godbolt’s injury is unknown. Godbolt missed all of this past season rehabbing a torn medial collateral ligament in her right knee. Lee said he was pleased with the effort the rest of his team put forth after losing players. “It was a big challenge,” Lee said. “To go toe-to-toe with them after losing quality players is impressive. Ole Miss is a team who has been where we’re building [this program] to go.”
—-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]
LSU soccer kicks off conference play over the weekend
September 30, 2007