Soccer

@RazorbackSoccer Ready To Battle Alabama In SEC Road Action

The Arkansas women's soccer team returns to action Friday when they travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide of Alabama.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas women's soccer team returns to action Friday when they travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide of Alabama. The SEC match, which will be streamed online (SEC Network+/ESPN3/WatchESPN App), is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. CT.

GAME INFORMATION

GAME

Arkansas (7-3-4, 3-1-2 SEC) at Alabama (8-4-2, 3-2-1 SEC)

DATE/TIME

Oct. 17, 2014 | 7:00 p.m. CT

VENUE

Alabama Soccer Complex (1,500) | Tuscaloosa, Ala.

LIVE STATS

RollTide.com

VIDEO

SEC Network+, ESPN3.com, WatchESPN App

TALENT

Mick Gillispie (P-B-P), Molly Atherton (Analyst)

LAST MEETING

Oct. 7, 2012; Arkansas 3, Alabama 1 (Fayetteville, Ark.)

SOCIAL

Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

UP NEXT
Following Friday’s matchup against the Crimson Tide, the Razorbacks will return home for their final home games of the season. Arkansas will host Auburn on Oct. 19 before welcoming No. 7 Texas A&M to Razorback Field for ‘Senior Day’ on Oct. 24.

WITH A WIN
With a result at Alabama on Friday night, the Razorbacks will have a two-game unbeaten streak and will have earned a result in eight of their last nine contests.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | ALABAMA

  • Friday’s meeting is the first between the two teams since Oct. 7, 2012 when Arkansas won 3-1 in Fayetteville to snap a five-game winless streak against the Crimson Tide.
  • Arkansas is 1-0-0 against Alabama in the Colby Hale era.
  • Arkansas is 1-2-1 against the Crimson Tide in its last four meetings in Tuscaloosa.
  • Alabama has scored 32 goals through 14 games thus far. The Tide scored a total of 24 goals all of last season. UA has tallied at least one goal in all but two games this season.
  • Nationally, UA ranks 22nd in goals (32), 25th in scoring offense, 27th in points (93) and 31st in assists (29). In the SEC, Alabama currently ranks second in goals, and third in total points, scoring offense and shutout percentage (.429).

LAST TIME OUT: @RAZORBACKSOCCER VS. TENNESSEE (10.10.14)

  • Sophomore Claire Kelley played the role of hero on Friday night for the Arkansas women’s soccer team, as her game-winning goal seven minutes into overtime gave the Razorbacks their first true road victory of the 2014 season, defeating Tennessee 1-0 in overtime.
    • For the sixth time this season, and the fourth in Southeastern Conference play, Arkansas was unable to earn a result during the 90 minutes of regulation play and had to settle for overtime. The battle-tested Razorbacks took full advantage in first extra frame, as Kelley buried a game-winning goal just over seven minutes into play, giving her team an important SEC road win over the Lady Volunteers.
    • Kelley’s goal gave Arkansas its first true road win of the season, as they were previously 0-1-3 in road contests coming into the contest.
  • Sophomore goalkeeper Cameron Carter turned in a spectacular performance between the pipes, as she recorded her second shutout victory in the last three games. The goalie saved a season-high 10 shots, while picking up her fourth shutout of the season.
  • In true road games, the Razorbacks are 8-10-2 under Hale.
  • Arkansas is now 1-1-3 in true road games this season.
  • The Razorbacks are 1-0-2 in SEC road games this year previously tying Ole Miss (1-1) and LSU (3-3).
  • @COLBYHALEUA SOUNDBITES
    • On The Win Over UT
      “Anytime you win in conference it’s big, and winning on the road in conference is huge. Tennessee is a very good team, a top 50 team in the country. The game kind of had its moments for both teams, but our team just finds ways to win. I thought we played hard, I thought we played well. There were some good performances from some individuals, but as is typical with this team it was a great team performance.”

TOP TWEET FROM LAST WEEK

@RAZORBACKSOCCER TEAM NOTES

  • With a social media push a week before to the season opener on Friday, Aug. 22, @RazorbackSoccer moved into the Top 25 for Division I women’s soccer Twitter accounts. Arkansas is now No. 24 with 3,130 followers and is 26 followers shy of the No. 23 spot (behind Tennessee - @LadyVol_Soccer).
  • Arkansas is 31-21-5 in the Colby Hare era.
  • In 30 SEC games under Hale, Arkansas is 14-13-3.
  • Arkansas is 59-124-16 all-time in SEC games.
  • The Razorbacks are 19-8-2 in 29 home games under Hale.
  • Arkansas is 103-87-15 all-time at Razorback Field.
  • The Razorbacks are 5-1-1 at home this season, the lone loss came to No. 6 Florida.
  • In true road games, the Razorbacks are 8-10-2 under Hale.
  • Arkansas is 1-1-3 in true road games this season.
  • The Razorbacks are 1-0-2 in SEC road games this year.
  • SEC Stats | SEC Standings

NATIONAL POLLS

  • Arkansas received 12 votes in this week’s NSCAA Top 25 Poll, to rank 31st in the country.
    • Click HERE to view this week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Poll.
    • Click HERE to view this week’s TopDrawerSoccer.com Division I Top 25 Poll.
  • Arkansas moved up two spots into the No. 4 position in the latest NSCAA NCAA Division I - South Poll, behind Florida, Texas A&M and Georgia.
    • Click HERE to view this week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I - South Poll.

NATIONAL RANKINGS (THRU GAMES 10.12.14)

  • The Razorbacks are ranked in the top 100 in four categories:
    • Total Assists – 28th
    • Total Points – 63rd
    • Total Goals – 78th
    • Won-Lost-Tied Percentage – 79th
    • Scoring Offense – 86th
  • ASHLEIGH ELLENWOOD, CLAIRE KELLEY and CAMERON CARTER are each ranked in the top 100 in at least one individual statistic.
    • Ellenwood and Kelley are ranked 26th in total assists and 30th in assists per game.
    • Carter is ranked 23rd in goalie minutes played.

NCAA RPI
The latest RPI rankings of the 2014 season was released Monday afternoon (Oct. 13) on NCAA.com (games played thru Oct. 12). The Razorbacks moved up five spots from last week and are ranked No. 26. Arkansas is also one of six SEC teams in the top 30.

  • Click HERE to view this week’s NCAA Division I Women’s RPI.

3. Florida
5. Texas A&M
16. South Carolina
21. Georgia
25. Missouri
26. Arkansas

@RAZORBACKSOCCER PLAYER NOTES            

  • Claire Kelley’s game-winning goal at Tennessee gave her five on the year, tying her with Ashleigh Ellenwood for the team lead.
    • Her two points on Friday also ties her in the team lead in points (17) with Ellenwood.
    • Kelley now has seven goals in her career and 23 points for her career.
  • CAMERON CARTER was named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week for her performance in Arkansas’ 1-0 (OT) win at Tennessee.
    • Click HERE for the SEC Release
    • Carter’s shutout on Friday night was her fourth this season and the 11th of her career.
    • Her 10 saves at UT were a season-high and marked the third time in her career she has posted double-digit saves (12 vs. Missouri; Nov. 4, 2013 and 12 vs. Duke; Nov. 24, 2013).

@RAZORBACKSOCCER ALL-TIME RECORDS WATCH
Goals
1. 44, Julie Williford (2000-03)
2. 38, Ruthie Miller (1989-92)
3. 35, Mary Howard (1987-90)
4. 29, Christina Burger (2003-06)
5. 25, ASHLEIGH ELLENWOOD (2012-present)
5. 25, Brittany Burns (1995-98)
7. 24, Heather Cato (1996-99)
8. 20, Jessica Fraser (1997-98)

Assists
1. 26, Holly Collins (1997-01)
2. 17, Alexis Hyrup (1992-96)
3. 16, Abbey Wilburn (2005-08)
3. 16, Brittany Burns (1995-98)
3. 16, Honey Marsh (1991-94)
3. 16, Kit Carson (1990-93)
3. 16, Ruthie Miller (1989-92)
8. 15, Julie Williford (2000-03)
8. 15, ASHLEIGH ELLENWOOD (2012-present)
8. 15, TYLER ALLEN (2011-present)
11. 14, Andie Hickman (1993-96)
12. 13, Nicole Bynum (1996-99)

Just out of the top 10:
10, JERIANN OKORO (2011-present)

Points
1. 103, Julie Williford (2000-03)
2. 92, Ruthie Miller (1989-92)
3. 81, Mary Howard (1987-90)
4. 69, Christina Burger (2003-06)
5. 66, Brittany Burns (1995-98)
6. 65, ASHLEIGH ELLENWOOD (2012-present)

HOME COOKIN’
The Razorbacks have arguably one of the best home-field advantages in country. Averaging 1,388 fans per home contest, the Razorbacks rank fifth in the SEC in average home attendance.

1. South Carolina – 3,270/gm
2. Texas A&M – 2,946/gm
3. Georgia – 1,671/gm
4. Tennessee – 1,390/gm
5. Arkansas - 1,388/gm

#SCTop10
In Arkansas’ 2-1 exhibition win over Creighton on Aug. 14, Tyler Allen’s 40-yard free kick goal in the 65th minute proved to be the game-winner. After a Creighton foul, Allen stepped up for a Razorback free kick and delivered a perfectly struck ball 40-yards down field that landed in left-hand side of the goal to break a 1-1 deadlock. Allen’s goal helped Arkansas pick up a victory in a contest they statistically dominated.

Her incredible goal came in at No. 6 on the SportsCenter Top 10 that night.

On Sept. 19, Allen found herself in a similar situation. Just four minutes into the second overtime, Kentucky committed a seemingly harmless foul 35-yards out from the goal. Allen, a free kick specialist, stepped up and delivered te ball from long distance into the upper left corner of the goal to give Arkansas its first win in a SEC opener since the 2011 season.

That night Allen made the SportsCenter Top 10 for the second time this season, this time at No. 5.

THE 2014 EDITION OF @RAZORBACKSOCCER
The Razorbacks are coming off a record-setting 2013 season that saw the team collect the most regular season wins in school history (15) and the programs first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Arkansas will look to improve on those achievements this year as they enter one of the most anticipated seasons in program history.

Arkansas returns 20 players that accounted for 102 of the team’s 136 points from a team that went 15-8-1 and 5-6 in Southeastern Conference play. Of the 12 different players that scored a goal last year, eight return to make up 82 percent (36-of-44) of the goals.

TOP 100 UPPERCLASSMEN
Junior Ashleigh Ellenwood was named among Top Drawer Soccer's women's National Top 100 Upperclassmen. Ellenwood clocked in at the No. 54 spot.

The Michigan City, Ind., native enters her junior season on the heels of an All-SEC second team choice. Ellenwood led the Razorbacks with 35 points on team-highs of 14 goals and 7 assists a year ago to help Arkansas win a program-best 15 games. Over the 24-game season, Ellenwood registered a point in 14 of those contests, highlighted by six game-winning goals, which set a new program single-season record.

DUO NAMED TO THE COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESS PRESEASON TEAM
Forward Ashleigh Ellenwood and defender Kaylyn Cooper were named to the College Sports Madness SEC Soccer Preseason All-Conference Teams.

Ellenwood, who earned All-SEC second team honors last season, was named to the first-team preseason all-conference squad. Cooper, an anchor of the Arkansas backline that registered five shutouts last season, earned a spot on the second team.

NATIONAL PRESEASON POLLS
The Razorbacks were ranked No. 23 in the 2014 TopDrawerSoccer.com Preseason Poll that was announced on Monday, Aug. 11. The Razorbacks were one of four SEC squads ranked in the Top 25 along with No. 4 Texas A&M, No. 5 Florida and No. 9 South Carolina.

Arkansas, one of seven SEC programs to at least receive votes in the NSCAA preseason top 25 poll, will face four opponents ranked in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Preseason Poll in No. 4 Texas A&M, No. 5 Florida, No. 8 North Carolina and No. 12 Duke. The Gators and the Aggies will both battle the Razorbacks at Razorback Field this season.

PRESEASON SEC POLL
With 20 letterwinners, including eight starters, returning from last year’s NCAA Sweet Sixteen squad, the Arkansas women’s soccer team was tabbed eighth in the SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced by the league office on Monday, Aug. 11.

LOVE FROM TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM
In TopDrawerSoccer.com’s SEC preseason preview, the outlet highlighted Arkansas.

Here’s what they had to say about head coach Colby Hale and his Razorbacks:

“It was a breakout campaign for head coach Colby Hale and the Razorbacks, winning the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament game, advancing all the way to the third round before bowing out to Duke on penalty kicks. Forward Ashleigh Ellenwood, whose play in 2013 helped her earn a call-up to a U.S. U23 WNT camp, looks to lead the program’s encore, as they continue to climb the regular season conference standings. In all, eight of the team’s starters from last year’s squad are back, including Jeriann Okoro, Tyler Allen and Claire Kelley.”

U-23 US NATIONAL TEAM CAMP
Ashleigh Ellenwood got an early jump on her preparation for the 2014 campaign when she participated in the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team Domestic Training Camp from July 15-22 in Seattle, Wash.

A total of 24 players that were either current collegiate athletes or just played their senior season last fall made up the roster that will be led by head coach Steve Swanson over the seven days. 

2013 #RAZORFACT TO REMEMBER
Arkansas’ record-setting 2013 started in style, as it opened with seven straight wins to find its way into the top 25 for the first time in program history. Over the opening seven games of last year, the Razorbacks out-scored their opponents 15-5 while coming away three overtime victories.

For more information on Arkansas soccer, follow @RazorbackSoccer on Twitter.