Less than 12 hours after returning home from an upset loss to Nicholls in Thibodaux, the LSU soccer team hit the road for Fayeteville, Ark. to play the Arkansas Razorbacks for its final Southeastern Conference game.
“There is no pressure on us. Maybe we’ll finally play good and snap this losing streak,” said senior midfielder Jen deHay. “Arkansas will be another tough game. No SEC game is easy. Hopefully we can put away some of our chances and get out of here with a win.”
The Tigers’ season will end Sunday at 2 p.m. against Southern University in the LSU Soccer Complex.
“I think we are all exhausted and sick of losing,” said freshman defender Stephanie Ford. “We need to win to get our spirits back up. We want to win just to get our dignity back because yesterday [the Nicholls game] was embarrassing.”
Both teams will be playing only for pride as neither has a chance for postseason play. LSU (9-8-1, 2-6 SEC) is tied for last in the West with Arkansas (6-9-2, 2-6 SEC). The loser of the game will end the season last in the SEC West standings. The Tigers currently are on a four-game losing skid.
“It’s just a matter of pride and will because that’s all we have left,” said sophomore midfielder Kate Ripple. “After Nicholls, we need to prove something. We want to feel a sense that we know we can win again.”
Ford hopes the team will go out with two wins so the seniors end their careers in a positive fashion.
“We would like to win for the seniors so they leave on a good note and we have something good going into next year,” Ford said.
LSU will be honoring its six seniors following their final game in their LSU career. deHay said although the game may look easy on the schedule, the Tigers are not guaranteed a win.
“The games we thought were going to be easy aren’t going to be,” deHay said. “Because losing can be contagious so we are going to have to play hard that game.”