LSU Soccer Set for NCAA Second Round Matchup Against Iowa in Nashville
UPDATE: Thursday’s game was postponed until Friday at 3 p.m. CT due to rain in Nashville.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Fresh off a dominant 4–1 victory in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, four-seed LSU Soccer (14-5-4) returns to action on Thursday evening for a second-round matchup against five-seed Iowa (12-4-4) in Nashville on Thursday, November 20 at 4 p.m. CT.
The No. 25/14 nationally ranked Tigers will continue their postseason run on Thursday evening, taking on No. 21/24 Hawkeyes at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex in Nashville, with Vanderbilt serving as host as the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed in the bottom left quadrant of the bracket.
LSU enters the matchup riding a program-record 12-match unbeaten streak (9-0-3), having not lost since September 21, and coming off a run in the SEC Tournament that they hope to continue in the NCAA Tournament. Three different Tigers found the scoresheet in last Friday’s first-round victory over Houston Christian, continuing LSU’s season-long trend of depth across its attacking unit.
A win Thursday would mark the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Third Round as LSU seeks to advance past the second round for the first time ever.
The second round action between the Tigers and the Hawkeyes will be available via streaming on ESPN+. The winner will take on the winner of Clemson/Vanderbilt in the round of 16 at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, November 23 in Nashville.
Scouting Iowa
The Hawkeyes arrive in Nashville following a 1–0 win over South Dakota State in the first round and boast one of the nation’s most disciplined defensive units. They are making their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025 — a program record — and last advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2024.
Iowa has recorded 10 shutouts this season and allowed just 1.05 goals per match, backed by goalkeeper Fernanda Mayrink’s .667 save percentage and Taylor Kane’s .795 mark in shared duties.
Offensively, the Hawkeyes have seen 17 different goal scorers this season. Kelli McGroarty leads the team with six goals, while freshmen Liana Tarasco and Berkley Binggeli have added important scoring bursts across Big Ten play. Iowa also thrives on set pieces, scoring 15 goals off dead-ball situations this season.
This will be the first-ever meeting between LSU and Iowa.
Season Stats
LSU enters the NCAA postseason playing its best soccer of the year, riding three SEC Tournament wins and a run to the SEC Championship match, a return to the national rankings and a surge to No. 14 in the RPI—the third-highest mark in the SEC behind only Vanderbilt (4) and Tennessee (9).
The squad placed at No. 14 by Top Drawer Soccer in back-to-back weeks polls while maintaining a No. 25 spot nationally in the final United Soccer Coaches poll of the year that was released on November 4.
LSU’s 50 goals this season rank 10th nationally, with 13 different Tigers contributing to the scoring effort. Junior forward Ava Galligan leads the team with 10 goals, while senior Ida Hermannsdóttir and freshman standout Sariyah Bailey follow with nine goals each. Together, the trio has combined for 27 goals and 21 assists.
Other contributors on the year Morgan Witz with five goals, Gabbi Ceballos with four, Jazmin Ferguson, Amy Smith and Gadea Blanco Gonzalez all with two each, while Sydney Cheesman, Kelsey Major, Senai Rogers, Ryann Denecour and Daniela Hellin have tallied one for the Tigers.
Defensively, captains Jazmin Ferguson and Kelsey Major anchor a veteran back line that has held opponents to 24 goals all season. Goalkeepers Sophine Kevorkian and Audur Scheving have combined for six shutouts and 72 saves, giving LSU consistency and depth in the final line of defense.
LSU has consistently placed among the top of the SEC statistically all year, currently leading the league in goals (50), assists (40), points (140) and goals per game, averaging 2.17. The Tigers also sit in the top-five in the shots with 318 total on the year.
NCAA Tournament History
This year marks LSU’s 11th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and their fifth straight under head coach Sian Hudson— the longest streak by a head coach in program history.
LSU moved their all-time record in the tournament to 4-9-2 after securing a win over Houston Christian last Friday.
The Tigers have advanced to the second round five times (2007, 2009, 2018, 2022, 2025). They last reached the second round in 2022 before falling to No. 1 Florida State. LSU has never advanced to the Third Round, making Thursday’s matchup a potential milestone as the program continues its rise on the national stage.
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