BATON ROUGE — Sunday is Senior Day at the LSU Soccer Complex as the LSU soccer team looks to end its four-game Southeastern Conference losing streak against the South Carolina Gamecocks in its final home match of the season at 1 p.m.
The Tigers (6-8-2, 2-6-1 SEC) are in need of a victory as they enter Sunday’s match in ninth place in the overall SEC standings with seven points. The top eight teams in the final standings receive a berth in the SEC Tournament, and Kentucky and Arkansas currently hold the seventh and eighth seeds with nine points.
“We certainly need to get a couple of wins to end the season in order to guarantee us a spot in the SEC Tournament,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “This has been one of our main goals since the beginning of the season and we are very close to reaching that goal. There is still work that needs to be done and it all starts with South Carolina on Sunday.”
LSU is coming off of a tough 2-1 defeat to the 19th-ranked Florida Gators on Friday in Gainesville as senior forward Kate Ripple scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the second minute of the second half. Ripple is currently tied for third in the SEC in that category and leads the team with 14 points.
“We competed really well in the game,” Lee said. “Florida is a great team, and I was proud of the kids for battling throughout the match. We did well to tie the match. We just couldn’t hold on in the end. Give credit to Florida for pulling it out.”
South Carolina (5-11, 1-8 SEC) is coming off of a 2-1 defeat of its own to Arkansas at home on Friday. The Gamecocks are led by the play of junior forward Darcel Mollon, who leads the team with four goals, four assists and 12 points on the season.
“South Carolina will be a great challenge for us,” Lee said. “The record is a little deceiving. They’ve got some really good players, and we expect a really motivated Gamecock team. I’m sure they feel they’re not out of the SEC Tournament race and will give a great effort.”
Ripple along with senior forwards Stacie McDougall and Lisa Newton, and senior defenders Holly Davis and Tara Mitnick will be introduced prior to kickoff of the final home game of their LSU career.
“It’s Senior Day for us, and the coaches and the program owe a great debt to our five seniors,” Lee said. “They’ve worked extremely hard and set a great tone for our season and our program for years to come. It’s going to be an emotional game for them. Hopefully, we can send them out with a win in their last home game.”
Sunday is also “Mini-Makeover Day” at the LSU Soccer Complex as kids of all ages are invited to receive a free makeover and LSU tattoos beginning at noon courtesy of the LSU Marketing and Promotions Department.
After facing South Carolina, the Tigers end their regular season Friday at 7 p.m. against the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks at Lady Back Field in Fayetteville. The first round of the SEC Tournament begins Nov. 3 at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.