LSU soccer coach Brian Lee said his team’s 8-8-5 record and second-place finish in the Southeastern Conference’s Western Division last year once would have been causes for celebration.
Following three consecutive SEC Western Division championships and NCAA Tournament appearances and a 17-2-4 mark against division opponents from 2007-09, though, the season was a small step back for the burgeoning program.
Lee said the bar is considerably higher for his team these days, especially with 10 returning starters eager to put the
Tigers back among the nation’s best this season.
As soon as the Tigers fell to South Carolina on penalty kicks in the SEC Tournament Semifinals last November, the team said its focus quickly shifted to 2011.
“Once that last shot hit the ground, we immediately moved on,” said senior midfielder Taryne Boudreau. “It was hard not making the [NCAA] tournament, but I feel like we have more drive to make it back this year with a group that really wants to be the best in the [SEC] West slow.”
There is a key battle for the starting spot at goalkeeper, as Kinneman, who had a 0.66 goals-against average in 14 games last season, started the Memphis game. Isom pitched a shutout, albeit on just three shots on goal, in the ULL match.
Lee said he was still unsure how the playing time splits between the two would shake out.
“We want to settle on one, but Megan’s the returning starter, and Mo’s had as good a stretch in practice that she’s ever had, so it’s a really competitive situation,” he said. “Mo has made it a competition more than anything that Megan’s done.
We’re blessed to have two of the best goalkeepers in the
LSU looks to claim SEC Western Division superiority
August 23, 2011