Soccer continues hot streak move to 6-1

TULSA, Okla. – On another historic night for the University of Arkansas and goalkeeper Carrie Dillsaver, the Lady Razorback soccer team saw senior Christina Burger score two goals to lead Arkansas to a 2-0 win against the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday night.

The win improves the Lady Razorbacks to 6-1-0 on the year and extends their record winning streak to six matches, while Tulsa falls to 3-5-0. For Dillsaver, the match saw her start her 60th career game and pick up her 24th career win tying the Lady Razorback all-time records in both and her 14th shutout moves her one closer to the Lady Razorback all-time record.

“It’s always nice to win against a good side, especially on the road,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “We didn’t have the easiest of conditions tonight with the wind, but it’s a great field like ours so that helped. Both teams played high pressure throughout the match which led to a lot of turnovers and not a lot of flow, but I certainly won’t knock a 2-0 victory.”

For the seventh consecutive match, Arkansas took the upper hand with the game’s first score when an incredible build up from the defensive third led to Christina Burger’s fifth goal of the season. Gaining possession midway in the defensive half, the Lady Razorbacks strung together eight consecutive passes to work their way up the field and around Tulsa pressure before a long through ball sprung Burger. Taking a pair of touches, Burger wormed her way around two Golden Hurricane defenders and then around the TU goalkeeper to give herself an empty net shot from six yards out.

That first goal was magnificent,” Henderson said. “It started from the back and we picked them apart all the way up the field.”

Burger’s two scores make her the Southeastern Conference’s leader in both goals and points with six scores and 13 points. The goal is also the fifth consecutive match in which the senior has scored.

The second half began much like the first with the teams vying for control of the tempo. The Golden Hurricane was able to create more chances in the beginning of the period than they had in the entire first half and their best opportunity required a spectacular save by Dillsaver to keep Arkansas in the lead. On the play, Tulsa forward Katie Ward won the ball in the corner and sent a nice cross to the middle of the mixer. A weak shot by Emily McElrath was knocked down by Dillsaver who had tremendous position and then she smothered the rebound to keep it a 1-0 Arkansas lead.

Arkansas made it a two-goal lead in the 76th minute when Burger struck for a second time. A Lady Razorback attack down the left side led to a cross to Katie Hamilton at the far post. Hamilton let off a shot that was saved by the Tulsa goalkeeper, but not controlled allowing Burger a chance. As she approached the loose ball, the Tulsa keeper was able to get a hand on the ball, but Burger knocked it away and sent a shot into the net for her sixth of the season.

The Lady Razorbacks continue their road trip at the University of Memphis on Sunday afternoon. For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to LADYBACKS.COM.