Soccer team looks for weekend rebound
Denise Bargiachi
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: Sports
The Razorback soccer team's eight game winning streak ended Friday when the team lost by one to Georgia in double overtime. And after a loss to Tennessee on Sunday, the Razorbacks look to get back on track this weekend against Alabama (7-4-1, 2-2) and Auburn (6-5-2, 2-1-1).
Alabama is coming off a loss at home against Ole Miss, a team the Razorbacks beat their first weekend of SEC play. Auburn shut out Mississippi State by six Sunday.
Auburn Head Coach Karen Hoppa said the Tigers would use the week to prepare for their matchups this weekend.
"Overall, this win is a good momentum builder," Auburn senior forward Kara Kasten said. "We'll have a good week of practice before the LSU/Arkansas road trip."
Arkansas Head Coach Gordon Henderson was positive about the Razorbacks' effort last weekend, despite adding two to the loss column.
"I think for any team that has four straight games on the road in SEC play, it doesn't matter what the sport is, it is tough," Henderson said. "We came out of that at two and two, and that is probably a little bit better than most people would have thought."
"We played a great game against Georgia Friday night. We just came out on the wrong side of a two-one loss in double overtime. We left the field with our heads high. I thought we competed well."
Friday's game was the second this season that the Razorbacks played into double overtime. The other game ended on a more positive note; the Razorbacks beat Samford 1-0 early in September. The team played five games that went into overtime last season, winning two, losing two and tying the game against Tennessee.
The team lost to Georgia by one in 2007 as well.
"We took a good lead in the [Georgia] game," Henderson said. "Unfortunately, we didn't hold that lead long, which is not like us. You have to credit our opponents."
Despite the losses over the weekend, Arkansas is still playing well defensively in SEC play. Arkansas continues to lead the SEC in shutouts, and their shutouts-per-game average is within the top nine in the country.
Alabama is ranked 21st in the NCAA in shutouts-per-game.
Offensively, Auburn has scored one more goal than Arkansas this season. Arkansas has scored seven more goals than Alabama, but Auburn and Alabama are second and third in shots-on-goal in the SEC, while Arkansas lags behind in seventh.
Henderson said the double overtime game against Georgia took a lot out of the team.
"On Sunday against Tennessee, we just had nothing left in the tank," Henderson said. "That's a team we need to play fresh, and we put so much of ourselves into the game Friday that we just didn't have a lot left. All credit to them. They definitely deserved that win."
The Razorbacks' game against Alabama is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at Razorback Field. Arkansas hosts Auburn Sunday at 1 p.m.
Alabama is coming off a loss at home against Ole Miss, a team the Razorbacks beat their first weekend of SEC play. Auburn shut out Mississippi State by six Sunday.
Auburn Head Coach Karen Hoppa said the Tigers would use the week to prepare for their matchups this weekend.
"Overall, this win is a good momentum builder," Auburn senior forward Kara Kasten said. "We'll have a good week of practice before the LSU/Arkansas road trip."
Arkansas Head Coach Gordon Henderson was positive about the Razorbacks' effort last weekend, despite adding two to the loss column.
"I think for any team that has four straight games on the road in SEC play, it doesn't matter what the sport is, it is tough," Henderson said. "We came out of that at two and two, and that is probably a little bit better than most people would have thought."
"We played a great game against Georgia Friday night. We just came out on the wrong side of a two-one loss in double overtime. We left the field with our heads high. I thought we competed well."
Friday's game was the second this season that the Razorbacks played into double overtime. The other game ended on a more positive note; the Razorbacks beat Samford 1-0 early in September. The team played five games that went into overtime last season, winning two, losing two and tying the game against Tennessee.
The team lost to Georgia by one in 2007 as well.
"We took a good lead in the [Georgia] game," Henderson said. "Unfortunately, we didn't hold that lead long, which is not like us. You have to credit our opponents."
Despite the losses over the weekend, Arkansas is still playing well defensively in SEC play. Arkansas continues to lead the SEC in shutouts, and their shutouts-per-game average is within the top nine in the country.
Alabama is ranked 21st in the NCAA in shutouts-per-game.
Offensively, Auburn has scored one more goal than Arkansas this season. Arkansas has scored seven more goals than Alabama, but Auburn and Alabama are second and third in shots-on-goal in the SEC, while Arkansas lags behind in seventh.
Henderson said the double overtime game against Georgia took a lot out of the team.
"On Sunday against Tennessee, we just had nothing left in the tank," Henderson said. "That's a team we need to play fresh, and we put so much of ourselves into the game Friday that we just didn't have a lot left. All credit to them. They definitely deserved that win."
The Razorbacks' game against Alabama is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at Razorback Field. Arkansas hosts Auburn Sunday at 1 p.m.
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