Alabama Soccer Plays First SEC Road Game at Kentucky
9/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
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The University of Alabama soccer (5-5, 1-1) team will hit the road Friday night at 4 p.m. to play its Southeastern Conference road opener at Kentucky.
The Crimson Tide is coming off perhaps its best weekend in SEC play in two years. Alabama came within minutes of tying No. 8 Florida on Friday night, and then scored four times in the second half on Sunday to defeat South Carolina. Now Alabama will look to continue its success when it plays Kentucky (4-4-1, 1-0-1) and Vanderbilt (2-5-1, 1-1).
“I was really encouraged by our play last weekend and it gives us reason to have some enthusiasm and excitement heading into this weekend,” said Alabama head coach Don Staley.
Alabama sits atop the SEC standings in goals scored on the season with 24. It’s the first time that the Crimson Tide has ever led the conference in that category. Alabama’s four goals on Sunday also marked the first time it has scored four times in an SEC contest since Oct. 4, 2002. Freshman Jordan O’Banion is also near the top of the conference in scoring. O’Banion is second in goals with seven and third in points with 14.
“I like the fact that we are scoring,” said Staley. “But we’re also slowly eliminating the mistakes that were beating us earlier in the year.”
The Tide’s two opponents both enter this weekend having picked up one conference win in the opening weekend. However, Alabama will be going up against a bit of history. The Tide hasn’t beaten Kentucky since 1998 and has only beaten Vanderbilt once in school history, a 2-1 victory in 1999.
Friday’s game at Kentucky will start at 4 p.m. cst. Sunday’s game at Vanderbilt will kick-off at 2:30 cst.
