The LSU soccer team gets its first chance to reclaim Southeastern Conference Western Division superiority this weekend when it hosts its first two SEC matches at the LSU Soccer Stadium against division rivals from Mississippi.
The Tigers took the division title for three straight seasons from 2007 to 2009 before falling back to the pack with a 4-4-3 conference mark in 2010.
With a five-match win streak in tow, LSU (5-3-1) is riding into tonight’s conference opener against Mississippi State (3-3-2) on a wave of momentum.
The Tigers have owned the Bulldogs in recent years, winning the last six matches. LSU’s 6-2 drubbing against Mississippi State last season marked the most goals scored against a conference opponent in 2010.
Unlike that offensive outburst, the Tiger offense has struggled to produce goals this fall despite the squad’s recent success.
During the team’s 4-0-1 stretch in the last two weeks, the LSU offense has still managed just seven goals and is averaging 1.2 goals per match for the season.
LSU coach Brian Lee has continually said his team is close to netting more goals, and he believes SEC play could be a fresh start for the offense.
“I’ve liked the way recently we’ve been attacking more creatively, which has paid dividends in how many good chances we’ve created,” Lee said. “SEC play will be different, but we like where we’re at as a team right now.”
Mississippi State enters the match with its own five-game unbeaten stretch — going 3-0-2 — and Lee said the Bulldogs’ passing could present challenges for LSU’s stout defense.
“They’re a nice pass-and-move team,” Lee said. “They get a good flow with the ball because of how well they move possession from the back to the midfield. And then they have some dangerous and fast forwards that can take advantage of that.”
Among those forwards is sophomore Elisabeth Sullivan, who has led MSU with a goal and two assists this year after being named to the SEC preseason watch list.
But the Bulldogs have had scoring woes of their own, tallying just eight goals through eight matches. They will face a swarming young LSU defense that has surrendered only five scores since allowing three goals to Memphis in the season opener last month.
On Sunday, LSU will take on fellow Mississippi rival Ole Miss (4-3-1). The Rebels played LSU to a scoreless double-overtime draw in the teams’ only meeting last year.
The Tigers defeated Oklahoma, 2-1, on Monday night to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule, which was the eighth most difficult in the country, according the latest Massey RPI report.
Lee said he was pleased with his team’s non-conference experience.
“We would have liked to have won a game or two more, but we were facing good competition away from home,” he said. “We played well enough box-to-box to win. The goals just fell the other way, but we feel very prepared and excited for SEC play because of those struggles. There’ll be an extra bit of emotion for every game the rest of the season.”
 
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