For the second time in three years, the LSU soccer team will make an appearance in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
The Tigers used a spirited and exhausting 1-1 two-overtime tie against Arkansas on Senior Day to clinch a spot.
The Tigers will be the eighth and final seed in the tournament. LSU will take on Auburn on Thursday in Oxford, Miss. Time for the contest has yet to be determined.
“This team deserves to go,” said head coach George Fotopoulos. “We are one of the best teams in the SEC. These kids, they always found a way. The greatest tie in the history of the school was today.”
After an early one-time goal at the top of the box put the Lady ‘Backs up 1-0, LSU struck back late in the first half. Arkansas was called for a foul in the box and LSU was granted a penalty kick.
Senior Ashley Mitnick, in her last appearance at the LSU Soccer Complex, put the ball in the lower left-hand corner of the net, just past Arkansas goalie Lindsay Haywood.
“Thursday afternoons [before a weekend set of games] I take a PK,” Mitnick said. “The only one time I’ve missed, we’ve lost the game. So I took one Thursday and made it, so I felt confident going into today. It’s 1-0 and it’s to tie the game — you don’t know which way the game is going to go. It’s a lot of pressure.
“If you put it in, it raises the whole level of the game — and it did. Once we got tied again, we just went after the ball.”
Despite LSU’s inability to win the game outright, Fotopoulos ran onto the field, with his fists pumped in the air and hugged junior midfielder Stephanie Keating.
“These kids had no legs left,” Fotopoulos said. “[Arkansas] played no game Friday and we played a game. Ashley Mitnick’s penalty kick was huge. I told the girls before the game ‘this game will be decided by set pieces.’ We kept our composure. We played to win, we didn’t play not to lose.”
In addition to Mitnick being honored on Senior Day, three others were recognized. Mandy Heintz, who has an SEC-leading 22 goals this season, will give up her final year of eligibility after graduating with a degree in kinesiology.
Leigh McGovern has been a mainstay in the Tiger defense. The five-foot-six defender from Shreveport has started all 78 games in collegiate career.
Not to be forgotten is forward Melissa Shelton, who returned to the lineup this weekend, despite fighting an ankle sprain. Shelton has 27 points for her LSU career.