BATON ROUGE — After playing its last five matches on the road, the 19th-ranked LSU soccer team will return home for the first time in one month when it plays host to Auburn on Friday at 7 p.m. in an SEC Western Division showdown at the LSU Soccer Complex.
The Tigers enter the match riding a school record 14-game home unbeaten streak as they are 10-0-4 at the LSU Soccer Complex since dropping a 2-1 decision to Auburn on Oct. 13, 2006.
The club has not played in front of its home fans since Sept. 14 when it defeated Centenary by a 7-0 margin. LSU is ranked as high as No. 19 nationally in the latest Soccer America Top 25 with an 8-2 overall record and an even 2-2 mark with six points in the Southeastern Conference.
“We’re certainly excited to come back home and play in front of the home fans in what is going to be a big game in the SEC,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “This is always a test for our team because it always seems to have a bearing on what team will be in position to win the SEC West and compete for the overall SEC championship. That’s what we strive for here at LSU.
“Auburn is a program we have a lot of respect for, and is one that has dominated the SEC West in recent years. We expect another competitive match when we kick it off tomorrow night.”
Auburn (6-5-2, 2-1-1 SEC) has dominated the all-time series with LSU as it boasts a 10-4-1 mark dating back to the first match between the two sides in 1995, including a 2-0 shutout of the Tigers in Auburn during the 2007 regular season.
But it was LSU that advanced to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., by outlasting Auburn in penalty kicks in the first round on Nov. 7 of last year. After battling to a 2-2 draw in regulation, the Tigers converted all four penalty kicks attempted with Auburn scoring two to allow LSU to advance to the semifinals of the single-elimination tournament.
Freshman Katy Frierson has been a catalyst for Auburn’s offensive attack in recent weeks as she has scored all four goals and 12 points in the last five matches, including an impressive six-point effort with two goals and two assists in Auburn’s 6-0 win over Mississippi State on Sunday.
Auburn is also led by the play of junior forward Becca Howell, who is the team’s top scorer with three goals and nine assists for 15 points through 13 matches this season.
A large crowd is expected at the LSU Soccer Complex for Friday’s game as it will be Mandeville Soccer Club Night and Thibodeaux Soccer Association Night with members of each organization receiving free admission. A free youth ticket will be given out with the purchase of an adult ticket and the first 500 fans through the gate will receive a free 2008 LSU soccer t-shirt.
Friday’s match will be broadcast live online at www.totalsportsradio.com with Jason Kelly on the call. After playing host to Auburn on Friday night, the Tigers will welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Baton Rouge for a match on Sunday scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff.