Soccer returns to Fayetteville to face Austin Peay

FAYETTEVILLE – Just 48 hours removed from a spectacular win on Wednesday night, the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team returns to Fayetteville to take on Austin Peay, Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Lady’Back Field.

The Lady Razorbacks enter the match with a 2-1-0 overall record and have outscored their opponents 6-1 over three matches including two shutout wins. Austin Peay enters the game with a record of 0-2-0 after dropping a pair of contests at the Wright State Classic last weekend.

“We are in the middle of a tough stretch right now,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “This is the fourth match of five over a 10-day-span and I am sure that everyone is getting a little heavy legged. Fortunately for us we were able to play a lot of people on Wednesday night which should help us enter this game fresher than we could have been.”

Friday night’s match is the first ever between Arkansas and Austin Peay.

The Lady Razorbacks have been able to get scores from a multitude of players early this year with only freshman Kelly O’Connor netting more than a single score. Five Lady Razorbacks have scored goals with another two adding assists making the 2007 Arkansas squad tough to defend. Although Arkansas is getting scores from both its forwards and midfield, O’Connor’s two goals and assist lead the young squad. Senior Allison Harris and sophomore Kim Schleif are the only other Lady’Backs to have more than a single goal or assist on the year.

Coming into the season Arkansas believed that its defense would be a strength and so far that has proven true. As a team the Lady’Backs have posted a 0.63 goals against average and allowed just two scores in three games, despite starting a true freshman in goal. Britni Williams has come along quickly in her maturation process and has been helped by seniors Sarah Gwisdala and Harris, junior Megan Fawley and sophomore Rachel Smith.

For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.