Razorbacks fall in SEC opener
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas was one player short for the final 25 minutes of Friday’s Southeastern Conferenceopener and still gave up just one goal to Tennessee, but the one score was enough for the Lady Volunteers to record a 1-0 victory at Razorback Field.
Mick Imgram scored off an assist from Ali Hall at the 57:40 mark for the only score Tennessee needed to hand Arkansas its first loss of the season.
Arkansas is now 6-1-2 overall and 0-1 in the SEC while Tennessee is 5-3-1 and 1-0.
“Ultimately, we haven’t had pressure yet,” Arkansas head coach Erin Aubry says. “We didn’t get that SEC pressure in our non-conference schedule. That needs to change.”
Following the Tennessee goal, Arkansas got off three shots in the next seven minutes, two by Allie Chandler and one by Laurel Pastor, but was unable to find the back of the net.
A minute after Chandler’s high attempt at 64:06, Lauren Hallauer was red carded after stoppinga one-on-goalie situation for Tennessee. Hallauer was ejected for the remainder of the game, giving the Lady Volunteers an 11-on-10 advantage.
“All in all, I’m proud of the way we played tonight,” Aubry says. “We played a man down in the back line and held them to one goal. It was real Arkansas soccer.”
One player short, Arkansas managed just two more shots the rest of the way. Tennessee had six more attempts, but the one-goal advantage was enough.
For the game, Arkansas took 18 total shots with nine on goal, but UT’s Molly Baird recorded the nine saves.
Tennessee had 15 shots with Arkansas’ Britni Williams recording five saves.
The teams battled to a 0-0 halftime score. Arkansas took three shots on goal while Tennessee had two. The Razorbacks had five total shots to four for the Lady Volunteers.
Arkansas was one of four unbeaten teams in the SEC entering league play this weekend, along with Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi State.
The goal allowed to Tennessee marked just the fourth of the season given up by the Razorbacks.
“We have to get organized and move past this,” Aubry says. “We play another tough SEC game on Sunday. We have to move forward.”
The Razorbacksplay host to No. 16 Georgia on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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