Soccer

Mid-Week Report – Razorbacks Are Back On Track

September 19, 2017

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Each Tuesday this season, ArkansasRazorbacks.com will take a look back at the week that was. Readers will get an in-depth look at previous matches, social media buzz, highlights, and a look ahead at what’s to come.

This week, Arkansas opened SEC play against Mississippi State and was hoping to bounce back from a tough weekend at UConn and at Providence that included two heartbreaking losses. At 4-4 and a third of the season already behind them, the Razorbacks were needing a spark.

MATCH 9 – Mississippi State vs. Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
It took almost 88 minutes, but the 1,515 Razorback fans in attendance were sent home happy last Friday as freshman Parker Goins sneaked a ball past the Bulldog keeper from near point-blank range to solidify the 1-0 win.

Arkansas and Mississippi State were deadlocked for nearly all of regulation and looked to be headed to overtime. It was an evenly played match on both sides, especially in the first half with shots at 11-10 in favor of the Razorbacks. Offensive chances were hard to come by in the second half as there were only seven shots combined. Arkansas didn’t even get a look at goal in the final 20 minutes before the winning score by Goins.

On the scoring play, Goins called for the pass from Nayeli Perez as she was making a run inside the box. Perez crossed the ball back in front of the goal line, but as MSU keeper Catalina Perez overcompensated to try and cut off the pass, Goins fought for control and snuck the ball over the line.

Razorbacks Open SEC Play With Win In Final Minutes

Box Score (PDF) | Photo Gallery FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Freshman Parker Goins sneaked the ball past the goal line in the 88 th minute of play Friday night to break a scoreless tie and help the Razorback soccer team defeat Mississippi State, 1-0, in its 2017 Southeastern Conference opener.

MATCH 10 – Oral Roberts vs. Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
For its final non-conference match of the 2017 regular season, Arkansas hosted nearby Oral Roberts from Tulsa, Oklahoma and used a second half surge to snag the 3-1 win.

The Razorbacks benefitted from an own goal in the first half, but allowed a goal for ORU in the final minute before the break and needed some extra effort in the second half.

The Hogs got that extra effort as Goins was there again in 54th minute with what ended up being the game winner. Sophomore Stefani Doyle did what she does best by beating the defense to the end line before feeding the ball back to Goins, who finished from eight yards out in the box.

Arkansas got the insurance goal from senior Jessi Hartzler just three minutes later off a corner kick from Perez, her second score of the season and second assist of the weekend for Perez.

The win allows Arkansas to finish above .500 in non-conference play with a 5-4 record.

Strong Second Half Leads Arkansas Over Oral Roberts

Box Score (PDF) FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Two goals in the span of three minutes in a soggy second half helped the Arkansas soccer team close out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 3-1 win over Oral Roberts Sunday afternoon at Razorback Field.

Goins Nabs SEC Freshman of the Week
Freshman forward Parker Goins was tabbed as the SEC Freshman of the Week earlier this week by the league office for her performance in Arkansas’ wins over Mississippi State and Oral Roberts. It’s the first conference weekly honor for the Oklahoma native and first for an Arkansas player this season.

Goins currently leads the Razorbacks with seven goals on the year, which is good for fourth in the SEC. She has at least two points in four of her last five matches going back to Sept. 3 against Mississippi Valley State.

Her seven goals are already more than any Arkansas freshman player in a single season in the last 17 years, even topping former Razorback Ashleigh Ellenwood, who had six goals during her freshman campaign in 2012.

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

NATIONAL POLLS
Even with the undefeated weekend, Arkansas did not receive any votes in either the United Soccer Coaches Poll or Top Drawer Soccer Poll.

UNITED SOCCER COACHES POLL
TOP DRAWER SOCCER POLL

TOP 5 RAZORBACK NOTES FROM WEEK 5
-Parker Goins’ seven goals are already more than any Arkansas freshman player in a single season in the last 17 years, even topping former Razorback Ashleigh Ellenwood, who had six goals during her freshman campaign in 2012.

-1,515 fans were in attendance for Arkansas’ 1-0 SEC-opening victory over Mississippi State, the second-largest crowd this season. Arkansas is averaging 1,576 fans this season, which keeps it in the top ten in the nation.

-The win over Mississippi State was Arkansas’ 14 in its last 15 meetings with the Bulldogs.

-Goins’ 18 points through the season’s first 10 matches is more than any Razorback player in the last 15 years. The last player to have 18 or more points at this point in a season was Julie Williford, who had 20 points after the first 10 matches.

-Arkansas is 5-1 at Razorback Field this year and is scoring 4.12 goals per home game.

Tickets
Season tickets are now on sale for $25. Each season ticket order will come with one 2017 Razorback Soccer scarf.  Single-game tickets can be purchased for $5 at the Razorback Field box office, which opens one hour before kickoff on game days. Current students can be admitted with their UA ID, and children 17 and under are admitted free.

For more information on Razorback Soccer, follow @RazorbackSoccer on Twitter.

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