LSU soccer coach Brian Lee wasn’t kidding when he dubbed his team’s 2009 non-conference schedule as the toughest of his tenure.The Tigers (2-1-1) have had to claw their way through four tough games to start the season, and that doesn’t include looming dates with No. 1 North Carolina and Duke.”It’s what we were hoping for,” Lee said. “There’s a great deal of parity in college women’s soccer, and you’re going to have to scratch and claw for every win you get along the way. But hopefully we’ll be better prepared for the [Southeastern Conference] than we’ve been in the past.”LSU continues its tough non-conference stretch tonight against Oklahoma (4-1-1) at the LSU Soccer Complex, the last home game before the conference season starts. The team travels to face Louisiana-Lafayette (0-1-5) on Sunday before heading to North Carolina (5-0-0) on Sept. 18.”We certainly feel like by the time we hit the Georgia game, we’ll be tested,” Lee said. “And hopefully we’ll continue to get better.”To do that, Lee said his team has to avoid its recent trend of poor first-half play. The defense surrendered two goals in the first 20 minutes in the season-opening loss to Memphis, and LSU needed late-game heroics to overcome a 1-0 deficit this past Sunday against South Florida.”We’re just looking for rhythm of play right from the get-go, starting with tackling and running and winning the ball, but then sharpness in our attacking third,” Lee said.Senior midfielder Melissa Clarke provided the spark Lee was looking for against South Florida, as she supplied both of the late goals that lifted the Tigers past the Bulls.”I surprised my own self,” Clarke said. “The first half was OK, but we really picked up in the second half. I think it’s looking so-far-so-good for the weekend … Little by little, all the stuff I’m learning and doing on my own is really coming together.”Clarke tallied her second and third goals of the season, leveling with the Bulls in the game’s 72nd minute before firing home the winner in the 88th.Clarke said the tough games are good for the team’s composure entering the conference   season.”It’s a pretty good challenge,” Clarke said. “OU always does pretty well with their season, and they’re going to give us a run for our money.”But Clarke, along with her senior classmates, has already faced the rigors of SEC play and the NCAA tournament. This season’s slate has served, in some ways, as a proving ground for the Tigers’ large group of incoming freshmen.”It gets them ready for big competition before the SEC,” said senior defender Chelsea Potts. “A lot of them are stepping out and showing us what they’re made of. They come in ready to work just like everyone else.”Lee said the team is “finally rounding into shape” on the injury front after battling problems with flu and a concussion to sophomore midfielder Taryne Boudreau. Forward Kellie Murphy could miss time this weekend with a twisted ankle she suffered Sunday against South Florida. Lee said she could return in time for Sunday’s game if she isn’t recovered in time to face Oklahoma.Tonight’s match is a student priority point game, and the Tigers will be wearing pink jerseys as part of LSU’s “Heads Up for the Cure” breast cancer awareness campaign with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.Fans with 10 inches of hair or more can donate it to Locks of Love during halftime as part of the promotion.
 
 
 
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