Oct. 16, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt soccer will close out a four-match road trip this weekend against LSU and Arkansas. The Commodores will face the Tigers on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Razorbacks on Sunday at 1 p.m.
LSU is 10-2-0 overall and atop the Southeastern Conference Western Division standings with a 4-2-0 record. The Tigers are ranked 17th nationally by Soccer America and carry a three-game winning streak into Friday’s contest.
Junior midfielder Malorie Rutledge leads the SEC in scoring with seven goals and 12 assists (also SEC leader) for 26 points. Forward Michelle Makasini is tied with Rutledge for the team lead in goals scored with seven. Freshman goalkeeper Mo Isom leads the SEC with a 0.67 goals against average and has recorded five shutouts in 12 games this year.
Vanderbilt holds a 7-2-2 all-time series lead over the Tigers and are 3-1-2 since the 2000 campaign. The Tigers won 2-0 last season in Nashville, and the two teams tied 0-0 the last time the teams played in Baton Rouge in 2006.
Arkansas is 9-5-0 overall and 2-4-0 in SEC play. The Razorbacks were 9-1-0 and 2-0 in league action after defeating Mississippi State for their program best eighth straight win on Sept. 28, but have lost four straight since that point.
They opened a four-game homestand last weekend with losses to Alabama (3-1) and Auburn (2-1). UA will face Kentucky on Friday night before taking on the Commodores Sunday. Senior forward Lindsay Patterson leads the team in scoring with six goals and an assist (13 points) in nine games. Sophomore goalkeeper Britni Williams is third in the SEC with a 0.94 goals against average and leads the league with seven shutouts.
Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 15-5-1 and have won the last three meetings. The Commodores won 2-0 last season in Nashville and 2-1 two years ago in Fayetteville.
VU split a pair of contests last week, falling to Georgia by a 2-0 score last Friday before rebounding with a 1-0 win over archrival Tennessee last Sunday. Sophomore midfielder Megan Kinsella scored the gamewinner in that contest and is now tied for second on the team with three goals. Goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel recorded her fourth shutout of the year against the Lady Vols, tying her season high set as a freshman a year ago.
The Commodores are currently tied with the Razorbacks for ninth place in the conference standings. The top eight teams make the SEC tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., Nov. 5-9.
