Alabama
Arkansas
Alabama Returns Home This Weekend to Face No. 15 Arkansas and No. 14 Texas A&M
9/21/2016 1:58:00 PM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After playing six consecutive road matches, the Alabama soccer team returns home to face No. 15 Arkansas on Thursday at the Alabama Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. CT, before taking on No. 14 Texas A&M on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT. Thursday's match marks the first Southeastern Conference home match of the season for the Crimson Tide, and its the first top-25 opponent that Alabama has hosted this year. Moreover, this weekend also marks the first time since the 2012 season that Alabama has played two top-25 opponents in back-to-back matches.
"We are really excited to be back at home," said head coach Wes Hart. "We are looking forward to playing in front of a good crowd. Certainly, we were happy with our results on the road and in those six games we were able to get out with three wins, two loses and a tie against really good competition. Now to be able to come back home and be able to host a very good team in Arkansas that has knocked off two top five nationally ranked opponents is something we are looking forward to."
Follow This Weekend's Matches
Live Stats: RollTide.com
Radio: N/A
Watch: SEC Network+ or RollTide.com
Twitter: @Alabama Soccer
SEASON CAPSULE
In the first two weekends of play, Alabama registered wins over Sam Houston State, 5-0, Murray State, 4-2, Campbell, 4-0 and Chattanooga, 1-0, registering a 4-0 record to begin the season. During the third weekend of play, the Crimson Tide was topped by No. 20 USF, 1-0, before it went on to shutout Florida Gulf Coast, 1-0, to improve to an overall 5-1 record. The 1-0 shutout over FGCU marks the fourth shutout of the season, which is the most shutouts through the first six games of a campaign since the 2012 season. Last weekend, Alabama topped the Tennessee Volunteers, 5-1, in Knoxville, Tenn., to begin Southeastern Conference play. The win over Tennessee marks the first SEC road opener victory since the 2014 season, when the Tide defeated Tennessee in a 1-0 decision that went into double-overtime. Moreover, Alabama's win over the Volunteers was also significant in the fact that it marks the largest margin of victory in an SEC opener in program history. It's also the second largest margin of victory over an SEC opponent in program history, behind the 5-0 win over LSU in the 1997 season. With the Tennessee victory, Alabama improved to an overall 6-1 record marking the best start since the 2005 season. This Tuesday the Tide lost to the Samford Bulldogs, 1-0, falling to an overall 6-2 record. Last Sunday, Alabama tied conference foe Kentucky, 1-1, in a match that went to double-overtime, moving the Tide's overall record to 6-2-1 and 1-0-1 in league play. The hour and 50 minute affair marks the first time since the 2005 season that Alabama and Kentucky has played each other in a match that went into double-overtime, and in that match both teams tied at 1-1. If the Tide wins on Thursday it will mark the first time Alabama has defeated a top-25 nationally ranked opponent since the 2014 season, when it topped the No. 22 Georgia Bulldogs in a 2-0 decision.
TEAM & INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL ATTENTION
Alabama's strong start to the 2016 season has earned national attention, as the team is ranked in the top-50 in many different major categories. The offense in particular has earned national notoriety, as it is ranked the No. 28 in scoring offense in the nation averaging 2.33 goals per game. Alabama's 21 goals this season ranks No. 25 in the NCAA, while the Tide is ranked No. 39 in points per game averaging 6.44. In regards to winning percentage, the Tide is ranked No. 53 with a 0.722 percentage. The offensive regime is also ranked No. 38 in the nation in total points with 58, and it is No. 47 in total assists accumulating 16 on the season.
The Tide has four individuals who have also earned national attention with their performances thus far this season. Junior Lacey Clarida is tied for 13th in the NCAA in game-winning goals with three. Sophomores Abbie Boswell and Emma Welch are tied for No. 19 in the country in total assists with five, and they are also tied for No. 33 in assists per game averaging 0.56. Clarida is No. 31 in total goals with six, and Boswell is No. 323 in total points with 15 so far this season. Junior goalkeeper Kat Stratton is nationally ranked in two categories between the posts. Stratton is tied for No. 54 in shutouts with three this year, and she is No. 45 in goals against average with a slim 0.679 average.
LEADING THE SEC
Alabama ranks in the top five in eight major offensive categories in the Southeastern Conference. The Tide leads in shutouts and shots with four and 160, respectively. The Alabama defense is third in goals allowed with four. The Tide is fourth in goals (20), points (56), goals per game (2.50) and its third in goals against average (0.62). The high octane offense has tallied 16 total assists this year, which ranks fifth in the SEC.
Individually, the Tide has student-athletes that are ranked in the top-five in seven different categories. Welch and Boswell are tied for fourth in total assists and assists per game with five and 0.62, respectively. Clarida is runner-up in game-winning goals with three. Defensively, Stratton is ranked in the top-five in four different sections. The gifted goalkeeper is runner-up in save percentage (0.848), shutouts (3), fourth in shutouts per game (0.38) and she is fourth in goals against average (0.65).
In SEC play, Alabama is ranked in the top five in eight key categories. The Tide's offense is second in points (16), goals (6), goals per game (3.00) and it is third in shots (31). Alabama's ability to distribute the ball effectively has earned the Tide fourth place in assists (4) and assists per game (2.00). The Alabama defense is ranked third in goals allowed (2) and goals against average (0.90). Individually, Alabama has three players that are ranked in the top five in nine different categories. Junior midfielder Chatham DeProspo leads in league play in goals (3), goals per game (1.50), while sophomore midfielder Emma Welch leads in assists (2) and assists per game (1.00). DeProspo is runner-up in game-winning goals with one. Stratton ranks fourth in goals against average (0.90) and save percentage (0.818).
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER RPI
The first set of RPI rankings came out this week, and the Alabama soccer team was listed at No. 75. The Tide has an impressive 3-0 record at home, and a 3-2-1 mark on the road so far this season. Thursday's match will mark the first top-25 opponent to enter Tuscaloosa this season.
UNDER HEAD COACH WES HART
The Crimson Tide is in its second year under the helm of Wes Hart. Hart's inaugural season had a major focus on transition and the future of the program. Highlights from his inaugural season included Hart's first win as a head coach that came in the home opener against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), handing Wake Forest its first shutout of the year (Aug. 28, 2015), giving LSU its first loss of the season (Sept. 11, 2015) in the 3-2 double overtime comeback win and a hard fought double overtime win at Georgia (Oct. 16, 2016), which marked Hart's first road win.
Home game attendance increased significantly in Hart's first season, as the Tide drew over 719 fans per game – the largest average since the 2012 season. The Alabama Soccer Complex saw a crowd of 1,575 for its first game against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), the second-highest single-game home attendance in program history. Fans then answered the call to keep attendance in the quadruple digits later that week against Wake Forest (Aug. 28, 2015), when 1,007 fans packed the Soccer Complex.
The 5-0 victory against Sam Houston State marks Hart's first win in a season opener with the Tide. So far in Hart's second campaign, the Tide has outshot its opponents by an impressive 160-75 margin and it has compiled 20 goals compared to the opponents five. Alabama has tallied 16 assists limiting its opponents to three, and it has picked up 56 total points while holding its opponents to just 13 points. The Tide also dominates the corner kick category, where it has a substantial lead on the opposition, 50-16. With the shutout against Florida Gulf Coast, Hart has registered ten shutouts since he arrived to Tuscaloosa. Alabama defeated Tennesse, 5-1, to begin SEC play. The 5-1 decisive victory over Tennessee marks the largest recorded win over an SEC opponent in program history. With the win over Tennessee, Alabama improved to an overall 6-1 record marking the best start since the 2005 campaign (6-1). The victory also marks the first SEC road opener victory since the 2014 season, when the Tide defeated Tennessee in a 1-0 decision that went into double-overtime. Moreover, Alabama's win over the Volunteers was also significant in the fact that it marks the largest margin of victory in an SEC opener in program history. It's also the second largest margin of victory over an SEC opponent in program history, behind the 5-0 win over LSU in the 1997 season.
CHATHAM DePROSPO'S HAT TRICK
Last week, junior midfielder Chatham DeProspo was named the ESPNW National Player of the Week, as announced by ESPN Thursday. DeProspo registered a first half hat trick against SEC foe Tennessee last weekend to help lift the Crimson Tide to a 5-1 victory over the Volunteers. DeProspo was also named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week because of her performance against Tennessee. She is also the first Alabama soccer player to earn ESPNW Soccer Player of the Week, and the first to early weekly conference accolades since the 2014 season, when goalkeeper Emily Rusk was recognized by the league office. The explosive midfielder recorded her three goals in just over half an hour.
"Winning an award like this doesn't happen without the support of your teammates, coaches and wonderful staff at Alabama," said Chatham DeProspo. "Every player on our roster is a big part of the award. I want to thank them and my incredible family for always believing in me. This is truly a great honor and it is very humbling. Big thanks to ESPNW for recognizing women's athletics!"
SERIES HISTORY – ARKANSAS
Alabama and Arkansas will meet for the 23rd time on Thursday in a series that dates back to the 1988 season. The Tide leads the series 12-7-3. Last year, the Tide lost to the Razorbacks in a 3-1 decision in Fayetteville, Ark. Alabama has posted a 7-2-2 record when playing the Arkansas in Tuscaloosa. The last time the Tide defeated the Razorbacks was in the 2011 season, when Alabama shutout Arkansas, 3-0, at home. Arkansas enters Thursday's match with an overall 9-1 record, including a 2-0 mark in league play.
SERIES HISTORY – TEXAS A&M
When Alabama and Texas A&M face each other on Sunday it will mark the seventh meeting between the two programs. The Tide trails the series 5-1. Last year, the Tide was shutout by the Aggies, 4-0, in College Station, Texas. The last time Alabama defeated Texas A&M was in the 1995 season, when the Tide topped the Aggies, 3-1, in College Station.
COMING UP
Next Friday, Sept. 30, the Crimson Tide will travel to Starkville, Miss., to take on Mississippi State at 7 p.m. CT in its lone match of the weekend.
