LSU soccer coach Brian Lee hesitates to use the word “revenge” when talking about the Tigers’ opening-round match in the NCAA Tournament.
But for a handful of seniors who experienced the program’s most painful loss to the Aggies in the second round of the NCAAs in 2009, LSU’s trip to Texas A&M tonight is more than just an opportunity to advance in the tournament.
It’s a chance for redemption.
The 2009 Tiger squad — maybe the best in school history, with a runner-up finish in the Southeastern Conference and a 14-5-5 record — waged a classic duel with the Aggies at the LSU Soccer Stadium two years ago, falling in penalty kicks, 4-2, after a thrilling defensive battle ended in a 1-1 tie that even two overtimes couldn’t break.
“I remember that we fought really hard, and I feel we deserved to win that game,” said senior midfielder Taryne Boudreau. “Penalty kicks are a very weird way to determine a match, so it hurt to lose like that after how we played. But it’s prepared us for this chance.”
LSU (13-7-1, 8-3 SEC) will have its hands full with another powerful Texas A&M (15-5-2) squad, which earned the No. 3 seed in the region and captured last week’s Big 12 tournament title by beating three top-10 teams.
The Aggies are led by freshman forward phenom Kelley Monogue, who has recorded a staggering 45 points with 18 goals and nine assists this season, claiming the Big 12’s Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year awards last week.
“They have a bunch of fast, attacking players who will challenge us near the net,” Lee said. “That freshman keeps their press free-flowing and allows them to pass the ball really cleanly.”
For an LSU defense that has been mostly stifling this season — but erratic of late — the task of stopping a powerful A&M offense that is averaging nearly four goals in its last 10 matches will be amplified without freshman defensive starter Alex Ramsey.
Ramsey drew a red card in the waning moments of the Tigers’ 3-0 loss to Auburn in the first round of last week’s SEC Tournament, rendering her ineligible for this match.
Senior midfielder Kellie Murphy said the nine days between that deflating defeat and tonight’s match have provided some much-needed refreshment for a drained LSU squad that lost three of its final six matches in decisive fashion.
“We’ve been able to rest a bit,” Murphy said. “Losing those games and not playing as well as we can, it let us know our game wasn’t as tight as it needed to be. We know we just have to play well, because we’re as good as anybody when we have our best.”
For Boudreau, who has enjoyed a breakout senior season with 12 goals and seven assists, the game plan to playing well against an aggressive A&M squad is simple.
“It’s all down to our passing, moving in our sets and playing with that effort for each other,” she said. “We have to bring a mentality to a road match like this that no one can stop us when we do that.”
Soon, LSU players will have plenty of opportunity for Aggie payback, as Texas A&M joins the SEC next fall.
For now, though, the Tigers hope to erase one of their primary disappointments with a rare second chance.
“I don’t want to have that same feeling, at least not in that situation again,” Boudreau said. “I want to go as far as possible, and A&M is the obstacle for us. We can’t wait for this opportunity.”
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]