The LSU soccer team is sitting pretty despite its inability to score this season.
The Tigers (6-8-4, 3-4-3), who have been shutout in 10 of 18 games this season, are second in the Southeastern Conference Western Division and can make the SEC tournament with a win against Arkansas (5-10-3, 2-6-2) this Friday.
The top eight teams in the SEC make the tournament, regardless of whether they are in the Eastern or Western Divisions.
Auburn (10-6-2, 4-4-2) is two points ahead of LSU in the SEC West standings and could win the division if Auburn scores a victory against Alabama this weekend.
“Since we’ve been here and gotten our own players in, it’s kind of been us and Auburn every year for the West,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “They tend to be an NCAA bubble team every year.”
LSU has a losing record in the SEC, but if the Tigers beat the Razorbacks, and Auburn falls to or ties Alabama, LSU will win the SEC West after beating Auburn, 2-1, earlier in the year.
Auburn shares the same SEC record as Vanderbilt, which is fifth in the SEC East.
No team in the SEC West has a winning record in conference games. LSU and Ole Miss (7-8-4, 3-4-3) are both 3-4-3 and are the only teams with an opportunity to win the division other than Auburn.
Lee said LSU will put itself in a hole if it falls at home to the Razorbacks this weekend.
“We could make it if we lose, but that’s unlikely,” Lee said. “If we win, we’ll be the No. 6 seed, and if we lose we could finish anywhere between seventh and 10th.”
If Ole Miss wins this weekend, and Auburn and LSU lose, the Rebels will win the SEC West after beating Auburn, 2-1, earlier this year.
Ole Miss and LSU will share the SEC West title if they both win and Auburn loses.
Lee said the Rebels, who are on a two-game winning streak, have picked up their play in recent weeks.
“If they win they have a chance to tie for the SEC West or win it outright,” he said. “They struggled early in the SEC season, and they’re winning some games now.”
LSU lost by a combined three goals to Florida and South Carolina, the SEC’s top two teams, last weekend. Lee said the Tigers could have won both games, and any team could potentially win the SEC tournament.
“There’s so much parity in college soccer right now and so much parity in the SEC that any given day just about anybody can beat anybody,” Lee said.
The Tigers normally practice on Tuesdays but were given the day off this week. Lee said he wants to keep the Tigers’ legs fresh for this weekend’s crucial matchup.
“We’re not going to gain too much new fitness levels by practicing, and we’re not doing anything new in practice at this point, so we’ll go pretty hard on Wednesday and a light practice Thursday and get ready to go on Friday,” Lee said.
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]