BATON ROUGE – The LSU Soccer team rides a two-game winning streak into Friday’s match with Florida International as the Tigers and Panthers are set to kick off at 7 p.m. CT in their inaugural match at the midway point of the squad’s 10-game homestand at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
The Tigers (3-1-1) and Panthers (2-2) meet for the first time on the pitch as they enter their final weekend of the non-conference season before the start of Southeastern Conference play.
Fans can “Geaux Free!” to Friday’s fixture as admission is now free for each of the team’s remaining nine regular-season matches this fall. Gates will open to the public at 6 p.m.
Fans who are unable to attend the match are reminded that live streaming video of the contest is slated for a 6:55 p.m. start at www.LSUsports.net/live for those with a subscription to the Geaux Zone.
Fans can also follow the action through LSU’s social media networks as live updates and coverage for the match is available by liking LSU Soccer on Facebook and following @LSUSoccer on Twitter. In addition to that, fans are welcome to join in the live in-game chat on the team’s official Facebook page.
Friday’s match features two teams receiving a berth into the first round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament last year. The Tigers were awarded an at-large berth into the postseason for the fourth time in five seasons as the SEC runners-up, while the Panthers claimed an automatic berth after winning a Sun Belt Conference Tournament title following the 2011 regular season.
LSU is finding its stride with wins in each of its last two matches, including a 2-0 blanking of Houston on Sunday and a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday night.
Sophomore striker Kaley Blades netted her team-leading second goal of the season in the 33rd minute before freshman midfielder Fernanda Pina opened her account with her first career goal in the 78th minute to lift the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Ladyjacks in their postponed match on Tuesday afternoon.
Friday is “Baton Rouge Soccer Association Night” and “Family Night” at the LSU Soccer Stadium with a free LSU Soccer tote bag being given to the first 250 fans through the gates.
After playing host to Florida International on Friday night, LSU will wrap up its non-conference schedule on Monday as they welcome the Memphis Tigers to Baton Rouge for a match that is slated to kick off at 7 p.m. CT for Monday Night Futbol at the LSU Soccer Stadium. The team kicks off SEC play in eight days as it welcomes the Texas A&M Aggies into the conference next weekend.