This weekend, ties won’t be good enough.
 
The LSU soccer team (4-5-3, 1-1-2) will likely need two wins against Southeastern Conference foes Vanderbilt and Kentucky to jump-start its push for a fourth consecutive NCAA tournament berth.
 
While must-win games are rare in this stage of the season, LSU coach Brian Lee said the team will probably need seven or eight wins in the SEC to avoid missing the postseason.                      
 
With seven games left and just one conference win in the books, LSU can’t afford to squander any more chances.
 
“This is a big weekend for us to just get on a roll,” Lee said. “If we can get a win on Friday and follow it up with another good game against Vanderbilt on Sunday, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
 
Kentucky (7-4-1, 1-2-1) allowed seven goals in its first two conference matches but rebounded with a win and draw last weekend — its first four-point weekend on the road since 2004.
 
“They are probably the most improved team in the SEC, maybe the most improved team in the country,” Lee said.
 
The same can’t be said for Vanderbilt (4-7-1, 0-3-1), which is in the midst of a five-game winless streak.
 
The Commodores haven’t scored a goal during the stretch.
 
In order to accomplish a weekend sweep — something they’ve yet to pull off this year after doing it three times last season — the Tigers have to put the ball in the back of the net.
 
That’s something easier said than done lately.
 
LSU has scored just seven goals in its last 11 matches, and Sunday’s 2-1 win against SEC West rival Auburn was only its third multi-goal game of the season.
 
“The two goals seemed like six for us, given the struggles we’ve had putting the ball away,” Lee said.
 
However, that win may have helped get the Tigers’ offense back on track.
“It’s starting to come together in the SEC,” said sophomore midfielder Natalie Ieyoub. “We’re still struggling to score goals, but it’s part of the process when you have such a young team.”
 
The Tigers have been able to survive without offense thanks in part to the solid play of freshman goalkeeper Megan Kinneman.  
 
Kinneman, named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday, earned her second shutout of the season Friday against Georgia.
 
She has allowed just three goals in five games, two of which came on penalty kicks.
 
Kinneman had been splitting games with junior goalkeeper Mo Isom, but Isom spent the weekend on crutches with a strained Achilles.
 
“Megan’s the starter, and we’re really, really confident with her in the net,” Lee said.
 
 
 
 
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Contact Ryan Ginn at [email protected].