@RazorbackSoccer Closes Out Regular Season Play At Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Arkansas women's soccer team will close out the 2014 regular season on Thursday, Oct. 30 with a road game against Missouri. The contest, which is set to kick off at 8 p.m. CT, will be broadcast nationally on the SEC Network.

UP NEXT
Following Thursday’s matchup at Missouri, the Razorbacks find out their opponent and the date of their first game in the 2014 SEC Tournament.

NATIONAL TV (SEC NETWORK INFORMATION | SEC NETWORK CHANNEL FINDER)
The U of A’s matchup at Missouri will be broadcast live on national TV. The match will be shown on SEC Network and streamed through ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN app.

Pete Pranica and Kate Lakin will call the action at Mizzou.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | MISSOURI

• Arkansas holds a 4-2-0 advantage over Missouri in the all-time series.
• The Razorbacks have won the last three meetings in the series.
• Arkansas is 2-1 in games played in Columbia, Mo.
• The Razorbacks defeated the Tigers twice last season, once in the regular season finale game in Fayetteville (2-1) and then again four days later in the first round of the SEC Tournament (4-0).

MISSOURI CONNECTION

• Arkansas currently has five players (all freshmen) on its roster from the ‘Show Me State’.
  • Jessi Hartzler, (Kearney)
  • Katie Kienstra (Florissant)
  • Nicole Ortega (Springfield)
  • Sarah Price (Frontenac)
  • Taylor Sancegraw (Farmington).
• Arkansas Director of Operations, Jessica Greer, is a native of Sedalia, Mo. and is a 2013 graduate of the University of Missouri, where she played soccer for four years.
  • Greer scored seven career goals (two game-winners) and appeared in 84 games during her collegiate career at Missouri.
  • Click HERE to see Greer’s Mizzou Bio
• Arkansas is 1-0-0 against teams from the ‘Show Me State’ this season after defeating Missouri State, 6-1, on Sept. 14.
• All-time, the Razorbacks have played 12 different schools from Missouri opponents which is the most teams from one state that they have faced. (Drury, Missouri, Missouri Baptist, Missouri State, Missouri S&T, Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Valley, Northeast Missouri, Rockhurst, Saint Louis, Southeast Missouri and William Woods) Arkansas is 37-13-3 in games against ‘Show Me State’ schools.

LAST TIME OUT: @RAZORBACKSOCCER AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (10.26.14)

• The Razorbacks used a solid attacking effort to secure a spot in the SEC Tournament with a 3-0 shutout of Mississippi State on Sunday, Oct. 26.
• The win was huge for Arkansas, not only because it snapped a two-match losing streak, but also because it secured a spot in the SEC Tournament (Nov. 3-9) for the Razorbacks.
• The scoreless match was broken in the 31st minute when junior Lindsay Mayo tallied her third goal of the 2014 campaign. Junior Ashleigh Ellenwood found Mayo, who blasted a shot from 35-yards out.
• Less than two minutes later, sophomore Alexandra Fischer netted her fifth goal of the season.
• Arkansas would hold off the Bulldogs for the final 13 minutes of the first half, to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission. The Razorbacks outshot MSU 7-4 in the opening period, while the Bulldogs held a 2-1 lead in corner kicks after the first 45 minutes of play.
• The second half was much like the first for Arkansas as they dominated play and outshot Mississippi State 17-7 and won the corner kick battle 4-0. Freshman Madison Hall tallied her first collegiate goal in the 78th minute to give the Razorbacks a 3-0 advantage, which would prove to be the final score.
• The Arkansas offense would finish with 24 shots, including a nine shots on goal, compared to MSU’s 11 shots (five shots on goal). Sophomore Cameron Carter recorded her sixth shutout this season (13th of her career) and tallied five saves in 90 minutes between the pipes.
• Hannah Neece’s assist marks the first of the season and her first collegiate assists.
• Alexandra Fischer’s goal is her fifth of the season, tying her for the team lead, and the eighth of her career.
• @COLBYHALEUA SOUNDBITES
  • On the game
    “I’m proud of our effort. Sunday road SEC games are always difficult. It was a good win and a big three points that helped us secure our spot in the conference tournament. Mississippi State changed a lot of things from what we saw on video, but I thought our team adjusted well.”
  • On opportunities
    “I was very happy with our attacking effort. We scored three goals, but we also had three goals called back for offside calls.”

@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 3,170 followers and is 58 followers shy of the No. 23 spot (behind Tennessee - @LadyVol_Soccer).
• Arkansas has clinched a spot in the 2014 SEC Tournament. The Razorbacks currently sit seventh in the standings, but can move up or down in the seedings, depending on Thursday's outcomes.
• Arkansas’ record in the Colby Hale era is 32-23-6.
• In 34 SEC games under Hale, Arkansas is now 15-15-4.
• Arkansas is 60-126-17 all-time in SEC games.
• In true road games, the Razorbacks are 9-10-3 under Hale.
• Arkansas is 2-1-4 in true road games this season.
• The Razorbacks are 2-0-3 in SEC road games this year.
• SEC Stats | SEC Standings

NATIONAL POLLS

• Arkansas did not receive votes in either of this week’s Top 25 Polls.
  • 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 was ranked No. 9 for the second consecutive week in the NSCAA NCAA Division I - South Poll, behind Texas A&M, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia, Missouri and Alabama.
  • Click HERE to view this week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I - South Poll.

NATIONAL RANKINGS (THRU GAMES 10.27.14)

• The Razorbacks are ranked in the top 100 in four categories:
  • Total Assists – 27th
  • Assists Per Game – 32nd
  • Total Points – 55th
  • Points Per Game – 66th
  • Total Goals – 83rd
  • Scoring Offense – 96th
• Ashleigh Ellenwood, Claire Kelley, Tyler Allen and Cameron Carter are each ranked in the top 100 in at least one individual statistic.
  • Ellenwood is ranked 8th in total assists, 9th in assists per game and 84th in total points.
  • Kelley is ranked 58th in total assists and 81st in assists per game.
  • Allen is ranked 94th in total assists.
  • Carter is ranked 6th in goalie minutes played and 57th in total saves.

NCAA RPI
The latest RPI rankings of the 2014 season was released Monday afternoon (Oct. 27) on NCAA.com (games played thru Oct. 27). The Razorbacks fell one spot from last week and are ranked No. 36. Arkansas is also one of eight SEC teams in the top 40.

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

4. Texas A&M
9. Florida
11. South Carolina
22. Kentucky
27. Auburn
34. Missouri
36. Arkansas
38. Georgia

@RAZORBACKSOCCER PLAYER NOTES

• Tyler Allen heads into Thursday’s game needing just one more appearance to tie the school’s all-time games played record of 80.
• With her three assists against Mississippi State, junior Ashleigh Ellenwood now has 70 career points, giving her sole possession of fourth place on the school’s all-time points list.
  • The assists also gave Ellenwood 20 for her career, putting her alone in second place on the school’s all-time assist behind Holly Collins (26; 1997-01).
  • It was also the 12th assist this season for Ellenwood, putting her in a tie for first on the school’s single-season assist list.
• Lindsay Mayo has five points (2 goals, 1 assist) in her last two games.
  • Mayo scored a goal in back-to-back games against No. 6 Texas A&M and at Mississippi State.
  • Mayo’s assist against Mississippi State is her first of the season and second of her career.
  • She was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Women's Team of the Week (Honorable Mention) for the week of Oct. 20-26.
    • Click HERE to view the entire team.

@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. 20, ASHLEIGH ELLENWOOD (2012-present)
3. 17, Alexis Hyrup (1992-96)
3. 17, TYLER ALLEN (2011-present)
5. 16, Abbey Wilburn (2005-08)
5. 16, Brittany Burns (1995-98)
5. 16, Honey Marsh (1991-94)
5. 16, Kit Carson (1990-93)
5. 16, Ruthie Miller (1989-92)
10. 15, Julie Williford (2000-03)
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. 70, ASHLEIGH ELLENWOOD (2012-present)
5. 69, Christina Burger (2003-06)
6. 66, Brittany Burns (1995-98)

TDS TOP 100 UPPERCLASSMEN & FRESHMEN
Junior Ashleigh Ellenwood and freshmen Nicole Ortega and Jessi Hartzler were named among Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Women's National Top 100 Upperclassmen and Freshmen. Ellenwood, who clocked in at the No. 54 spot on the Preseason list, was No. 47 on the Midseason list.

Rookies Hartzler and Ortega were ranked 52nd and 92nd, respectively.

• Click HERE to view the TDS Women’s National Top 100 List.
• Click HERE to view the TDS Women’s Freshmen Top 100 List

HOME COOKIN’
The Razorbacks have arguably one of the best home-field advantages in country. Averaging 1,359 fans per home contest, the Razorbacks rank fourth in the SEC in average home attendance.

1. South Carolina – 2,935/gm
2. Texas A&M – 2,922/gm
3. Georgia – 1,736/gm
4. Arkansas – 1,359/gm
5. Tennessee – 1,278

THANK YOU #RAZORBACKNATION
The 2014 season has been a great one for the Razorbacks, not only on the field, but also in the stands, as a program record 12,231 fans came out to support the women’s soccer team at Razorback Field this year. This season’s total turnout and average game crowd (1,359) continues a rise in attendance that dates back to the 2010 season.

There were many attendance records broken at Razorback Field this season:

• In just the second game of the season, the program set a new single-game attendance record, as 2,268 fans witnessed a 2-1 win over Oklahoma State.
• Over 1,000 fans were in attendance in eight of the nine games at Razorback Field this season. The lone exception came on Sept. 12 vs. Rice, where 900 people were in the stands.
• Four of this season’s crowds (Utah State, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Texas A&M) cracked the top 10 for single-game attendance in Razorback Field history.
• Seven of this season’s crowds (Utah State, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Missouri State, Auburn, Florida) broke into the top 15 for single-game attendance in Razorback Field history.

2010-14 Total Soccer Attendance

• 2010: 5,365
• 2011: 8,135
• 2012: 9,255
• 2013: 10,786
• 2014: 12,231

2010-14 Avg. Single Game Attendance

• 2010: 766
• 2011: 904
• 2012: 841
• 2013: 981
• 2014: 1,359

#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.

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.