Final Regular-Season Match Takes Arkansas To Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Looking to extend its three-match unbeaten streak and playing for one of its best SEC finishes in school history, the 22nd-ranked Razorback soccer team plays its final regular-season match of 2018 on Thursday against Florida. First kick is slated for 5:30 p.m. and will be broadcast online on SEC Network+.
With 19 points on the season, Arkansas sits in a three-way tie for second place in the SEC. A win on Thursday at Florida would guarantee at least a tie for second place, which would be the program’s highest finish ever.
Florida is one of five teams in contention for one of the final three spots in the SEC Tournament. With 11 points, Florida is in the catbird seat of those five, but only three points separate them.
Match 18 Info
Opponent: Florida Gators
Date: Sunday, Oct. 25th
First Kick: 5:30 p.m.
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2qb4ure
TV: SECN+
Arkansas (11-3-3, 6-2-1 SEC) went undefeated in their two matches last weekend, drawing at No. 25 Mississippi State and winning against No. 21 Auburn at home. It is the first time in school history that the Razorbacks have gone undefeated at home in the regular season. With 11 wins, Arkansas has eclipsed 10 wins in a season for the third time under head coach Colby Hale.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Beitz was a key proponent for going undefeated this past weekend as she had a career-high 11 saves against Mississippi State securing her fourth shutout in her last seven starts. All of her shutouts have come against SEC opponents this year, which ties for third among all league keepers.
Against Auburn, it was the offense’s turn to repay Beitz for her performance as three different Razorbacks found the back of the net with three different Razorbacks providing the assists. Junior Stefani Doyle achieved her sixth assist of the year on Arkansas’ first goal, giving her 10 points on the year. She joins Kayla McKeon, Tori Cannata and Taylor Malham as the only Razorbacks with 10 or more points this year. It’s also Doyle’s third-straight season with 10 or more points.
Junior Tori Cannata also tallied an assist in the match and she is now tied for the team lead with junior Kayla McKeon as they each have 16 points and seven goals. Cannata leads the team in conference matches as she has five goals and 11 points against SEC teams.
Quick Kicks
>> Arkansas heads into its final match of the 2018 regular season when it travels to Gainesville, Florida to take on the Florida Gators on Thursday, hoping to extend its three-match unbeaten streak.
>> The Razorbacks have earned seven points in its last three matches, including results over Top-25 teams in Mississippi State and Auburn. Arkansas is in a tie for second place in the SEC standings with 19 points.
>> Arkansas concluded an unbeaten regular-season record at home last week with a 3-1 win over No. 21 Auburn. It’s the first time in program history a Razorback team has completed an unbeaten home record in the regular season.
>> With only two losses in its last 12 matches, Arkansas received its first national ranking of the season as TopDrawerSoccer.com placed it at No. 22. Arkansas had been receiving votes for the previous three weeks.
>> Arkansas only has one victory (at Alabama) in five true road matches this season, but three of their five goals scored in those games have come from junior Kayla McKeon.
>> With a win over No. 21 Auburn last Sunday, Arkansas has more results (wins or ties) against Top-25 teams than any other team in the SEC this season (No. 9 West Virginia, No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 25 Mississippi St., No. 21 Auburn).
>> Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Beitz racked up a career-high 11 saves in the scoreless draw at Mississippi State last week. It ties for the most in a game by an SEC keeper this season and is the most by a Razorback keeper since Cameron Carter racked up 12 against Duke in the NCAA Tournament in 2013.
>> Freshman Kolbrun Eyjolfsdottir scored her first goal of the season on Sunday against Auburn to contribute to Arkansas’ 3-1 win. She’s the 12th different Razorback to score at least one goal this year.
>> A win at Florida on Thursday could potentially guarantee a second-place finish in the SEC, which would be Arkansas’ highest finish in program history. It’s previous high was third place in 2016 behind South Carolina and Auburn.
>> Junior Stefani Doyle locked up her sixth assist of the year Sunday against Auburn, good for second on the team and 10 points for the season. It’s her third-straight season with 10 or more points.
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