The LSU soccer team is experiencing growing pains.
The Tigers have scored only four goals in their last seven games following a season-opening 8-0 win against South Alabama.
LSU has also been shut out four times in eight games. The Tigers were shut out only six times all of last season.
The Tigers have only one senior and 12 freshmen this season, which may contribute to their early scoring woes. LSU had eight seniors in 2009 and scored 2.33 goals per game en route to a 15-4-5 season.
“We have so many young kids who just need time on campus and some time in the program and in the weight room until they really, really get it,” said LSU coach Brian Lee.
The Tigers’ top three goal scorers all graduated after last season. The lone senior this season is Courtney Alexander, who has primarily been a defender but has played forward occasionally this year to generate offense.
Alexander said the Tigers are still rotating their forwards and need to find a consistent scoring threat during crunch time.
“Week in and week out there’s different people playing up top,” Alexander said. “We need to get in a rhythm.”
Alexander could possibly be that scorer. The Tigers were tied with McNeese State at halftime Sunday before Alexander scored the first of the Tigers’ two second-half goals in LSU’s 2-1 win.
Junior midfielder Allysha Chapman said junior goalkeeper Mo Isom inspired a team in need of veteran leadership during the halftime break.
“I remember Mo coming in and saying if we can’t score against McNeese, then we’re not going to score any goals in the [Southeastern Conference], and that triggered a lot of people,” Chapman said.
The Tigers have given up only .75 goals per game — the same number as the end of last season — and scored 1.5 goals per game.
But take away the Tigers’ season-opening 8-0 win, and LSU has only a .57 goals per game average.
Still, Lee said he’s not concerned.
“We think we’ve got a good team,” Lee said. “We certainly think we’ve got a chance to win the [Southeastern Conference] West again and maybe win the SEC.”
The Tigers suffered a blow by losing freshman forward Kaley Blades for the season with a knee injury. At the time of the injury, Blades was leading the team with two goals.
Lee said the remaining freshmen have had solid moments followed by minor letdowns.
“Blades was doing really well before she hurt her knee,” Lee said. “So now it’s a little different kid, different day. We need a little more consistency.”
Lee said it’s not uncommon for a young team to start slowly. Last year’s senior-laden team had its own growing pains when those seniors were freshmen. The Tigers finished 9-8-3 in 2006 with a 1.67 goals per game average, surrendering an average of 1.24 goals per game.
Alexander said the Tigers are still adjusting to each other, and she hopes the team can work out its scoring woes when SEC play begins Friday when LSU faces Georgia.
“The SEC’s a different environment,” Alexander said. “You hate everyone in the SEC. Just with that rivalry, hopefully people will be able to step up.”
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]