The seniors on LSU’s soccer team have only four regular season matches left in their respective careers.
The Tigers have lost five straight matches, putting their Southeastern Conference Tournament chances at risk. For Megan Lee and Summer Clarke, this is their chance to turn the Tigers’ fortune around by winning at least three of four upcoming matches to advance to the tournament.
Both Lee and Clarke believe their season will be successful if the Tigers make the conference tournament.
But their personal goals are different, as, after spending her four seasons at LSU playing defense, Lee wants to score a different goal.
“A personal goal — I actually wanted to score at least one goal before I finish, because I’ve been a defender the whole time I’ve been here,” Lee said. “The times I do go up, I just really want to score a goal and to end on a good note for myself.”
Clarke, on the other hand, simply wants to have fun in her last few matches as a Tiger.
“For me, in particular, have fun and enjoy it,” Clarke said. “There’s only three times I get to play [at home]. There’s only three more times I get to step out on this field with this team.”
LSU coach Brian Lee hopes the players can get one more SEC Tournament appearance and the respect of their fellow teammates in the last few matches of their careers.
“I just want them to be in Orange Beach for the SEC tournament,” Brian Lee said. “I want them to get that feeling one more time. Even more important than that is in their last games to be giving their all for LSU and have their teammates do the same thing win, lose or draw.”
Though their individual goals are different, both Clarke and Lee realize how fast their four seasons have gone.
“Time flies. I feel like I was a freshman last year,” Clarke said. “Time just goes so fast, and I can’t believe it’s three and three quarter seasons already gone.”
Beyond the four years they have spent at LSU, their lives after soccer may be different. Lee sees soccer always being a main component of her life.
Clarke, though, doesn’t know if a professional soccer career is in the works.
“Probably graduate school,” Clarke said. “Probably not next year but the year after, I graduate in August, so I’m going to go home after that for a little bit. I don’t know. People have asked me, ‘Do I want to pro?’ but for me, ever since I was small, that’s never been the goal.”
“Yes, most definitely,” Lee said. “I want to have some work at least in regards to soccer as an exercise physiologist working towards what’s the best type of fitness and conditioning for female athletes. The next major career to that is I just want to become a soccer coach somewhere down the line.”