The Tigers extended their season unbeaten streak to seven games and their overall streak to nine games with a 2-2 draw in double-overtime against No. 4 ranked Texas in Austin on Tuesday night.
The draw is the first time in the program’s 13-year history where a win or draw was achieved against a top 10 ranked team and only the third time that LSU has beaten or tied any top 25 team.
This marks the Tigers’ (5-0-2) third game in five nights, as they beat McNeese State 5-2 on Friday in Baton Rouge, and played Houston to a 0-0 draw Sunday in Houston.
LSU soccer coach Brian Lee said he feels encouraged by the result.
“It was a good result on the road against a top-ranked opponent, and it will really help us down the line,” Lee said.
Texas freshman forward Nikki Arlitt scored the first goal of the game in the 15th minute of the first half, her third of the season, off an assist from sophomore Emily Anderson.
The Longhorns’ lead was short-lived, however, as her score was quickly matched by LSU sophomore Rachel Yepez in the 20th minute after receiving an assist from junior Roslyn Jones.
Yepez continues to lead the team with seven goals on the season, putting her No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference and two ahead of the nearest goal-scorer.
She said she has a lot of help from her teammates, and she likes what they are doing as a team.
“We came out excited to play our game, and although we were tired from the other matches, we played well against them,” she said.
Play in other positions benefited the Tigers as well.
Despite having 32 shots in the match, the most by any LSU opponent this season, the Longhorns were only able score two goals against the Tigers. LSU, on the other hand, had far fewer scoring opportunities with only 13 shots – 8 on goal.
Kelsey Carpenter, a senior forward for the Longhorns, led the match with a total of five shots on goal, while Yepez and sophomore Melissa Clarke each had two for the Tigers.
Lee praised the work of senior keeper Valerie Vogler, who had 14 saves on the night.
“She did great,” Lee said. “She came out and played steady and solid all night.”
In the second half, Texas took the lead again with a goal from Carpenter, her fifth of the season, in the 54th minute after she scored off an assist from Stephanie Logterman.
The Tigers answered this goal almost immediately when sophomore Veronica Godbolt scored her second goal of the season in the 57th minute with an assist from Yepez.
Although both teams had many more opportunities later in the match, neither team was able to score another goal before time ran out.
Texas had six shots on goal in the overtime periods, but all of them were saved by Vogler. LSU had none.
—-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]