BATON ROUGE — The LSU soccer team is set to begin the University’s athletic season and the team’s seventh season on campus when the Tigers take on in-state rival McNeese State on Friday at 7 p.m. at the LSU Soccer Complex.
“I think that Friday’s game is going to be do-or-die for us,” said LSU head coach George Fotopoulos. “The way that our schedule is lined up this season, a loss to McNeese State would really set us back a bit. They are going to be a tough team. I have a lot of respect for them and the last time they came in here to the LSU Soccer Complex they beat us.”
Friday will mark the Tigers’ third-ever contest against the Cowgirls and the series is currently deadlocked at one win apiece. In the most recent matchup between the two Louisiana schools in 1999, McNeese State traveled to Baton Rouge and upset the Tigers by a count of 2-1. The loss dropped LSU to an overall record of 4-4 on the season and spiraled the Tigers into a 13-game winless streak.
On Friday, LSU will attempt to live up to its first-ever performance against the Cowgirls. In 1996, the second-year Tigers dominated an inexperienced McNeese State team by a score of 9-0 and the LSU soccer program recorded its second-straight 10-win season.
“McNeese State is going to be a challenging opponent for us tomorrow,” Fotopoulos said. ?They’re coming in here with nothing to lose and we have a very young team right now. It’s going to be a pretty tough game for us.?
The Tigers enter the 2001 season with eight returning starters and the best recruiting class of LSU’s seven-year history. Last season, the Tigers accumulated a school-record 15-6 mark and earned its third-ever trip to the Southeastern Conference tournament. LSU finished second in the SEC Western Division and was the most improved team in Division I soccer.
The 2001 LSU soccer team is comprised of 17 freshmen, 12 sophomores, five juniors, and zero seniors. Many of the young players are expected to contribute this season and two of the true freshmen will start in Friday’s contest.
Danielle Keath, the Tigers’ explosive freshman from Satellite Beach, Fla., will start at forward against McNeese State along with Chelsea Agar. Agar is a talented defender from British Columbia, Canada, and will add both power and aggressiveness to LSU’s back line.
“Both Danielle (Keath) and Chelsea (Agar) have had a very good preseason and hopefully that will carry over into tomorrow,” said Fotopoulos. “These girls definitely have the ability to step up the level of our team’s play this season and I’m looking forward to watching them play against McNeese State.”
LSU owns a 4-2 record in season opening contests and the Tigers have won their previous three opening-day games. Last year, LSU blanked Troy State, 4-0, at home. The win was coach Fotopoulos’ first victory as a Tiger and set the tone for LSU’s record-breaking season.
The Tigers face the McNeese State Cowgirls at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, at the LSU soccer complex in the opening game of the 2001 season.