NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU soccer team looks to earn its first victory in the Southeastern Conference on Sunday as it takes on the 20th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores at noon at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.
LSU (4-2-2, 0-0-1 SEC) is 1-6-1 all-time against Vanderbilt (8-1, 1-0 SEC) and dropped a tough match in double overtime, 2-1, in the last meeting between the two teams on Sept. 26, 2004. The Tigers hope to earn their first win against a ranked opponent since defeating the 15th-ranked Florida State Seminoles, 2-1, on Sept. 8, 2002.
“We’re excited about the challenge of playing a great team in a tough environment,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “A big part of SEC weekends is playing two games in three days at a high intensity, so fitness and mental preparation is a big part of that. We are as fit as anybody in the country, and we welcome the challenge.”
Vanderbilt is coming off of an impressive 5-0 victory over Arkansas in its SEC opener, a match in which five different Commodores scored goals and eight others recorded assists. Vanderbilt is among the SEC leaders in several statistical categories, including first with 0.33 goals allowed per game and seven shutouts, as well as second with 2.67 goals and 2.89 assists per game.
“We know Vanderbilt is a legitimate top-20 team, and they are certainly a team that will compete for the SEC Championship this fall,” Lee said. “Like I said, this will be a great challenge for this team and one we are looking forward to.”
The Tigers continue to be led by the play of senior forward Kate Ripple, who has scored a goal in each of the last four matches and has scored all of her team-leading five goals during that span. Ripple is currently tied for second in the SEC in goals scored and is tied for seventh with 10 points.
LSU returns to Baton Rouge and the LSU Soccer Complex next weekend for home matches against Ole Miss on Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. and Mississippi State on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.