After its best start in seven years, the LSU soccer team will put its undefeated record on the line when it opens Southeastern Conference play against Alabama at 7 p.m. tonight in Tuscaloosa.
LSU coach Brian Lee said the Tigers (4-0-2, 0-0 SEC) have made major progress so far, but they’re preparing themselves for superior competition in the SEC, beginning with the Crimson Tide (1-3-2, 0-0 SEC).
“We’ve come so far together as a team in just three weeks this season, and we hope to continue that progression tomorrow night when we open up SEC play at Alabama,” Lee said in a news release. “It’s just like a new season for all of us each year when we go into conference play, so we know we’ll be facing a fired up Alabama team with a great crowd behind them that you expect whenever LSU is in town.”
LSU has enjoyed success against Alabama under Lee with a 6-2-2 record against the Crimson Tide since he became head coach in 2005.
The Tigers also boast a 4-1 record at the Alabama Soccer Stadium under Lee. They have won four straight games in Tuscaloosa and haven’t lost there since 2007.
LSU is undefeated through the first six games of the season for the first time since 2008. The Tigers are coming off their most lopsided victory of the season, a 4-0 throttling of Indiana on Sept. 6, which saw leading scorers junior forward Summer Clarke and sophomore forward Jorian Baucom net two goals each.
The duo has led a potent LSU attack with nine goals and four assists combined, well ahead of their pace in 2014 when they combined for 15 goals and eight assists.
LSU’s dynamic attack on offense has been complemented by a stingy defense led by senior goalkeeper Catalina Rubiano, who has recorded two clean sheets and hasn’t conceded more than one goal in a game this season.
LSU’s defense also has enjoyed the return of fifth-year senior defender and team captain Alex Arlitt. Arlitt missed the final 10 games of last season with a knee injury, but she was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA after applying for a medical redshirt.
Arlitt said the team is feeling good about itself, but it’s important that players stay hungry and don’t get complacent with the success headed into conference play.
“We feel pretty confident coming off a good weekend at home,” Arlitt said. “The biggest challenge for us is going to be keeping our mentality focused and keeping our killer instinct for every game that we go into. If we’re able to do that, we’re pretty hard to beat.”