After leading the LSU soccer team with 10 goals in 2013, then-freshman forward Summer Clarke cemented herself as a rising star in the Southeastern Conference. 
But the addition of highly-recruited freshman forward Jorian Baucom brought another talented forward to the Tigers’ roster this season. 
The combination of Baucom and Clarke up top has produced results for the Tigers. Both players have developed a role within the offense and scored goals in a variety of ways, forcing defenses to cover the entire last third of the field. 
Baucom showed her ability to control the ball in the air from the first minute of collegiate play. Just 48 seconds into the season opener against Troy, Baucom headed her first goal off a cross from junior midfielder Fernanda Piña. 
“[Baucom] has a good physical presence up there,” Clarke said. “She is showing that to a lot of different teams, so I think that is good for her. She’s using her physicality.” 
Baucom has added a physical presence to LSU’s offense that’s been missing for the last few seasons. Two of her goals have come in the box off of headers.
“Last year, I was crossing and crossing, and I feel like no one hit it,” Piña said. “I felt like I wasn’t productive or something. But now, it is working.”   
Although Clarke did record a goal off a header against Nicholls State, one of Clarke’s strengths is her ability to beat defenders with the ball at her feet. 
For two of her goals this season, Clarke has beaten goalies one-on-one after breaking free from the defensive line. 
“Technically, she’s very good,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “She’s two-footed. She can do a lot of different things.”
Despite playing most of the season in a 4-4-2 formation, the Tigers have opened up their offense in the last four games by playing in a 4-3-3 formation. In this scheme, Baucom plays high at center forward and Clarke plays wide. 
This allows Baucom to use her physical presence in the box to get scoring opportunities, and it gives Clarke the chance to work the entire field to create chances. 
In the last four games, Clarke has scored twice and assisted Baucom for the first time against Arkansas. 
Despite their different styles of play, both Baucom and Clarke have come through for the Tigers in some of the most critical points of key games this season.
In LSU’s conference-opening loss against Missouri on Sept. 19, Missouri’s
junior midfielder/forward Reagan Russell broke the deadlock in the 50th minute. Just 12 seconds later, Baucom took advantage of a miscommunication by a Missouri defender and slammed in an equalizer. 
Against Arkansas on Sept. 28, Clarke scored on a breakaway just 24 seconds after the Razorbacks tied the game at 2-2. 
“[Junior forward Lexi Gibbs and Piña] made the runs across me, and cleared the space,” Clarke said. “Then it was one-on-one with the keeper. It was amazing.”
Although LSU did not win either of those matches, both of these goals changed the momentum of the contest and got the Tigers right back in the game. Having both Baucom and Clarke up top gives the Tigers confidence that they can score at any moment. 
“We have very talented forwards and attacking players, so it comes to if we play, if we tackle in the back and in the midfield.” said junior midfielder Natalia Gomez-Junco. “The creativity up top and the talent is there. If they get the ball, they are a threat.”