Senior Day marks home finale for Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas soccer team will close out its home schedule Sunday afternoon when it takes on South Carolina at Razorback Field. The game has been moved up from its original start time and will begin at 12:30 p.m. As is tradition with the final home game of the season, Arkansas will recognize this year’s class of seniors—Whitney Allison, Megan Fawley, Lindsay Patterson and Abbey Wilburn—during a pre-game ceremony.The Razorbacks return home after a midweek trip to Gainesville, Fla., and a 3-0 defeat at the hands of No. 7 Florida. Despite the loss, Arkansas (11-6-0, 4-5-0) remains in eighth position, two points ahead of ninth-place Ole Miss, in the SEC standings with two games left in the regular season. The top eight teams advance to the 2008 SEC Soccer Tournament played Nov. 5-9 in Orange Beach, Ala.Patterson continues to lead the Razorbacks in scoring with 15 points (6 g, 3 a) with sophomore Kelly O’Connor close behind with 12 points (5 g, 2 a). Patterson’s six goals are tied for ninth in the SEC. In goal, Britni Williams’ goals against average jumps over 1.00 for the first time since early September but remains fourth in the conference with a 1.07 goals against average. Her seven shutouts on the season are tied for tops in the SEC with three other keepers.Sunday’s matchup will feature two of the better defenses in the SEC as South Carolina are tied for second in the league with 15 goals allowed, while the Razorbacks have given up 18 scores this season, the fourth-best mark.

South Carolina (10-4-4, 4-3-2) hosted LSU in its last game and the two teams battled to a scoreless tie. In last season’s matchup with Arkansas, the Gamecocks protected its home field with a 1-0 win. The past five games in the series have been decided by a goal or less with the 2006 contest, played in Fayetteville, ending in a 1-1 tie.

The Razorbacks’ last win in the series was a 2-1 road victory during the 2005 season. Arkansas’ only win over the Gamecocks in Fayetteville came in the first-ever meeting between the programs, a 5-0 triumph in 1995On the season, freshman forward Kayla Grimsley leads South Carolina with 20 points (8 g, 4 a). With the point total, she is tied for fifth in the SEC. In goal, sophomore Mollie Patton is third in the league with a 0.80 goals against average while recording seven shutouts.The Gamecocks return six starters and two All-SEC players from last season. Defender Blakely Mattern, a selection to the 2007 first team, is the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Fellow defender Brittiny Rhoades was named to the all-freshman team last season and is South Carolina’s co-leader in assists with four.Fans at Sunday’s game will enjoy jersey, trading card and water bottle giveaways, as supplies last. At halftime, winners of the Shoot for Dough contests in previous games this season will return to kick for a chance to win $10,000. A complimentary general admission ticket will be given with the presentation of a ticket stub from the Arkansas-Ole Miss football game.For more UA soccer news and live stats, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.