The toughest non-conference slate in school history may be finished, but the schedule isn’t getting any easier for the LSU soccer team.The Tigers (4-2-2) are coming off games against No. 2 North Carolina and Duke and now open Southeastern Conference play against No. 15 Georgia (7-0-1) on Friday at the LSU Soccer Complex.The Bulldogs are one of just four undefeated teams left in the SEC and have skyrocketed up the national rankings in recent weeks. Georgia finished its non-conference campaign with a 2-1 win against Clemson last week.”They’ve got a good team chocked full of good players,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “Georgia’s a good state.  [Malorie] Rutledge, [Melissa] Clarke, [Carlie] Banks, [Mo] Isom – plenty of players to build a program from.  So they’re going to be quality.”The Tigers performed well last weekend at the Duke Nike Classic, as they fought to a draw against Duke after staging a two-goal rally in the second half. The team failed to notch a goal against North Carolina in a 1-0 loss last Friday, but the Tigers’ defense held the Tar Heels goalless until the 78th minute.”It was two quality opponents, but we’re just as concerned leading into SEC play with how we’re playing as opposed to results,” Lee said. “To do that well against Chapel Hill … and then come out flat against Duke but reverse fortunes in the second half, that showed great character and determination.”Conference rival Auburn was actually the first team to foil a UNC win, battling to a 0-0 draw last Sunday. The result knocked the Tar Heels from their No. 1 perch for the first time this season.”The SEC has had their best non-conference [season] ever by far,” Lee said. “The early indications are that the league is as deep in good teams as ever and the parity in the league this year should be tremendous.”LSU senior midfielder Melissa Clarke could miss her second-straight game of the season, making the Georgia game even more challenging. Clarke tweaked her hamstring last week at practice but was able to play against UNC before sitting out of the Duke game.”She had a few days off, but we really won’t probably know until game time,” Lee said. “She actually played quite well against Carolina despite [the injury].”Senior forward Rachel Yepez said the Tigers need someone to take control of the midfield’s tempo if Clarke, the team’s leading scorer with five goals, can’t lace up Friday night.”Melissa is just so good on the ball, she can beat three players with one move,” Yepez said. “We just have to move the ball a lot quicker and keep it going. We need to get our movement down because we don’t have Melissa to basically take control of the attack.”Yepez suggested freshman forward Carlie Banks could slide to Clarke’s centralized position in the attack. Banks has started in all eight of the Tigers’ games and has one assist, but she has yet to find the back of the net.”We just need to create goal scoring chances,” Banks said. “I need to be in the right positions and work hard in order to step up and replace [Clarke]. But I have high expectations for myself.”This weekend also marks the beginning of the brutal two-game weekends customary of conference play. Friday marks the first of four-straight weekends in which LSU plays two games in three days.Tennessee (4-3-1) is the second opponent of the weekend.  The Volunteers were on a four-game unbeaten streak heading into last weekend’s game against No. 22 West Virginia when a 72nd minute goal gave the Mountaineers a 1-0 win.—Contact David Helman at [email protected]