Year after year, LSU soccer has proven just how resilient it is, and the 2025 regular season was no different.
After six consecutive appearances in the SEC tournament under head coach Sian Hudson, the Tigers head to Pensacola on Sunday to add another year to that streak.
Leaving non-conference play with a 5-3-0 record, the team seemed to be finding its identity on the pitch, but a shaky start to conference play hindered its ability to truly shine.
It was a scoreless draw with the Vanderbilt Commodores. The battle exhibited the superstar backline that has defined the team this entire season, but also proved that the offense hadn’t reached its full potential.
Two back-to-back losses against Alabama and Tennessee catapulted the Tigers to a 0-2-1 record just three games into conference play. While full-game consistency was more evident against the Crimson Tide, the Tennessee offense proved difficult for the Tigers to compete with.
The Vols not only outscored the Tigers 2-1, but proved they were the far better team in the first half, only allowing LSU to answer back to a 2-0 lead with a penalty kick goal by Ida Hermansdottir.
Looking ahead to a matchup against Auburn following two consecutive 2-1 losses, it was clear the Tigers need a more cutthroat mentality in SEC play.
In a game that faced a three-hour lightning delay, LSU managed to do just that with a 3-1 win over the Tigers from Alabama.
The never-ending matchup saw exceptional play between both teams, but something had changed for the Bayou Bengals. Despite being outshot 22-6, LSU had managed to capitalize on playmaking opportunities and score on three of its five shots on goal, two of which followed the three-hour lightning delay.
The momentum seemed to carry back home, where LSU hosted Missouri for a second Tiger vs. Tiger matchup.
Protecting the goal to keep Missouri off the scoreline, LSU had gone into this fifth conference matchup looking to take control and set the tone early on.
“We’ve done a lot of good stuff in the second half this season, but we’ve struggled to gain any kind of momentum early in the game,” said Hudson following the matchup against Missouri. “It was great to see us really boss the ball and control the game for large periods of the first half.”
This mentality didn’t falter either, as Auburn would be the beginning of a seven-game unbeaten streak for the Tigers.
Getting deeper into the season, a rainy and physical battle against the Bulldogs of Athens ended in a draw for the Tigers.
Even so, it showcased the growing improvement on the LSU frontline. The quick answer back to a late-game goal allowed the Tigers to collect one point before their next matchup.
All evened up at 2-2-2 in conference play following Georgia, the Tigers returned home to take on the Aggies of Texas A&M.
Earning her first win of the season in conference play was goalkeeper Audur Scheving, letting up only one goal from three shots. With four goals scored by the Tigers, it was clear that they had led the game since kickoff.
The deficit was a result of goals by Jazmin Ferguson and Daniela Hellín, as well as a brace from Sariyah Bailey. Displaying LSU’s newfound composure behind the ball, the victory over Texas A&M instilled confidence among the program as it began to close out its season.
As they headed to Oxford to face the Ole Miss Rebels for the first of the last three games, the Tigers embodied a textbook definition of set-piece scoring.
Two perfectly placed corner kicks by LSU allowed for easy headers to be tapped into the Rebels’ net. Shots by Ida Hermannsdottir and Amy Smith allowed the Tigers to receive a second consecutive 4-1 win, with a brace earned on the scoreline by Smith.
With two games left to defend its streak, LSU hosted the Kentucky Wildcats for a Sunday afternoon matchup in the Baton Rouge heat.
Both teams were tied in the standings heading into the game, and they were not hesitant to show why.
A physical battle broke out between the cats, and the game was scoreless at halftime.
“[We] just need to finish our chances, get forward,” Hermannsdottir said when asked about the locker room conversation between halves. “Counterattacks are important in this game.”
With a mentality set on being more dangerous offensively, late-game action ensued on the pitch. A penalty kick by Hermannsdottir gave the Tigers a breakthrough goal, taking them to a 1-0 lead in the last five minutes; however, the celebrations were short-lived.
Just 23 seconds later, the Wildcats answered back with a ball that got past goalkeeper Sophine Kevorkian, and the final minutes of the game ticked down to end in a 1-1 draw.
Despite the disappointing tie, the game served as a reminder for the Tigers to finish games to the fullest and added motivation to end the season on a high against Florida.
Taking on the Gators in another Sunday afternoon match, the Tigers lived up to those expectations.
Adding on to their now 5-2-3 conference record, the Tigers earned a third win of the season that saw a 4-1 final score with a brace on the scoreline.
Goals scored in the first minute of each half by Sariyah Bailey and Ava Galligan showed the offensive flow state that the Tigers have since found since settling into conference play, and another two scored by Galligan and Gadea Blanco González rounded out the exciting finale.
“What a way to go out with a 4-1 victory over a team we haven’t previously beat at home,” Hudson said. “This is a team that I think has set a whole new standard for LSU soccer.”
With a seven-game unbeaten streak achieved in the final match against Florida, it becomes the longest in program history.
Despite taking a few games to find their sea legs in conference play, the Tigers have proven their ability to bounce back as a team and have made strides toward a potentially strong postseason run.
The Tigers now prepare to travel to the beaches of Pensacola to compete in the SEC tournament, taking on the No. 12 seed Auburn. No. 5 seed LSU will look to defeat the team that catapulted its conference play momentum for a second time, and extend its streak to eight games at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex on Sunday at 7 p.m.
