Season finale Friday at home
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas’ soccer team closes its season on Friday with the 7 p.m. home match against No. 16 LSU.
Arkansas enters the game 8-6-4 overall to secure a winning season for the year and 2-6-2 in the Southeastern Conference. LSU is 11-4-3 overall and leading the West Division at 7-2-1.
Friday is also Senior Night for the Razorbacks. Four seniors – Kat Moffett, Kathleen Paulsen, Kim Schleif and Sophie Wentz – are playing their final game for Arkansas. All are team captains and lettering for the fourth year. They have helped Arkansas go a combined 37-32-7 over the last four years with 31 goals and 80 points.
“This senior class has put their heart and soul into the program,” head coach Erin Aubry says. “In a short time, I’ve developed a wonderful relationship with them. Kathleen is one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. Kat and Sophie are two of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around. Kim has been a staple of our defense and hopefully she walks away with some sort of All-SEC accolade.”
They have led Arkansas to a school-record 10 shutouts this year, including a school-record four in Southeastern Conference play.
After helping Arkansas go 11-8 as juniors, they have guided the Hogs to an 8-6-4 mark heading into Friday’s season finale, giving Arkansas consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history.
The LSU game continues the toughest stretch in school history. Arkansas is playing a ranked opponent for the fourth consecutive game. The previous record was two straight games against ranked teams. The stretch began against No. 21 Ole Miss, at No. 10 South Carolina, at home against No. 12 Florida on Sunday and ends against the No. 16 Tigers on Friday.
In its last two games, Arkansas has held both No. 10 USC and No. 12 Florida to scoreless halftime ties, but allowed second-half goals to each.
“We handed Florida quite a performance,” Aubry says. “It was great to see our team play to its potential. The difference is in experienced finishers and goal-scorers. We have individuals who can step into that role – Allie Chandler, Laurel Pastor and Ally Atkins – but this is their first season in the SEC.”
Arkansas enters Friday’s game tied for second in the SEC with 304 shots (16.89), third with 12 goals allowed (0.67), third with what would be a school-record 0.64 goals against average, fourth with 96 saves and tied for second with 10 shutouts.
Individually, Chandler is tied for fourth with 68 shots (3.78) and Pastor is seventh with 55 (3.06). Keeper Britni Williams is second with a 0.65 goals against average and an .882 save percentage, and third with 90 saves and nine shutouts.
Williams is Arkansas’ all-time leader with 22 shutouts and second with 26 victories.
In league play only, Arkansas is second with 170 shots (17.0), first with 70 saves and tied for fourth with four shutouts. Individually, Chandler is first with 54 shots and Pastor is tied for third with 38. Williams is first with an .883 save percentage and 68 saves.
LSU is 5-2-1 on the road this season, and tied for third in the SEC with 38 goals, second with 100 corner kicks and tied for second with 10 shutouts. In SEC play, the Tigers are second with 67 points, 23 goals, 21 assists and seven goals allowed, and first with six shutouts.
