Alabama
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Mississippi St.
Alabama Soccer Travels to Mississippi State Friday Night
9/29/2016 1:44:00 PM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama soccer team will continue Southeastern Conference play on Friday, when it travels to Starkville, Miss., to take on Mississippi State at 7 p.m. CT. in its lone match of the weekend. The Crimson Tide enters the match with an overall 7-3-1 record and a 2-1-1 mark in league play.
"For us, it is the same for any team, we need to be honest in our defending, have good team shape and be able to track runners," said head coach Wes Hart. "We need to be honest in what we are doing. We recognize that Mississippi State can be a very dangerous team as they have had some good results this year. If we don't come out ready to play, we know that Mississippi State is capable of beating us."
Follow This Weekend's Matches
Live Stats: RollTide.com
Radio: N/A
Watch: SEC Network+
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, earning 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. The 1-0 shutout over FGCU marked the fourth shutout of the season, which is the most shutouts through the first six games of a campaign since the 2012 season.
To begin Southeastern Conference play, Alabama topped the Tennessee Volunteers, 5-1, in Knoxville, Tenn. 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.
The Tide lost to the Samford Bulldogs, 1-0, to conclude its non-conference portion of the schedule falling to an overall 6-2 record.
Alabama tied conference foe Kentucky, 1-1, in its second league 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 marked the first time since the 2005 season that Alabama and Kentucky played each other in a match that went into double-overtime.
The Tide registered its third loss of the season last Thursday to then-No. 15 Arkansas, 2-1, in another match that was decided in sudden death overtime. Alabama played its third consecutive match that was decided in sudden death overtime last Sunday, when it upset No. 14 Texas A&M, 2-1. The win over the Aggies marked the first time the Tide has recorded a victory over a ranked Southeastern Conference opponent since the 2014 season. Moreover, it is Alabama's first time to defeat Texas A&M since the 1995 season. Additionally, it is the first win over a top-25 opponent since Hart has taken the reigns. The victory over Texas A&M also marked the seventh win of the season, making the Tide two wins shy of breaking into the program's top-10 single seasons wins list.
NATIONAL NUMBERS
Alabama's impressive play 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. 43 in scoring offense in the nation averaging 2.18 goals per game. Alabama's 24 goals this season ranks No. 26 in the NCAA, while the Tide is ranked No. 50 in points per game, averaging 6.00. In regards to winning percentage, the Tide is ranked No. 69 with a 0.682 percentage. The offensive regime is also ranked No. 34 in the nation in total points with 66, and it is No. 56 in total assists accumulating 19 on the season.
The Tide has four individuals who have earned national attention with their performances thus far this season. Junior Lacey Clarida is tied for 23rd in the NCAA in game-winning goals with three. Sophomores Abbie Boswell and Emma Welch are tied for No. 12 in the country in total assists with six and they are also tied for No. 33 in assists per game, averaging 0.55. Clarida and Boswell are tied for No. 63 in total goals with six, and Boswell is No. 25 in total points with 18 so far this season. Junior goalkeeper Kat Stratton is nationally ranked in two categories between the posts. Stratton is tied for No. 86 in shutouts with three this year and she is No. 61 in goals against average with a slim 0.819 average.
LEADING THE SEC
Alabama ranks in the top five in eight major offensive categories in the Southeastern Conference. The Tide is fifth in shutouts and second in shots with four and 205, respectively. The Alabama defense is third in goals allowed with nine. The Tide is fifth in goals (24), points (66), goals per game (2.18) and its third in goals against average (0.79). The high octane offense has tallied 19 total assists this year, which ranks fifth in the SEC.
Individually, the Tide has student-athletes that are ranked in the top-five in five different categories. Welch and Boswell are tied for third in total assists with six, and the pair is tied for fourth in assists per game averaging 0.55. Clarida is third in game-winning goals with three. Defensively, Stratton is ranked in the top-five in two categories. The gifted goalkeeper is runner-up in save percentage (0.836),) and she is third in goals against average (0.82).
In SEC play, Alabama is ranked in the top five in five key categories. The Tide's offense is third in goals (9), goals per game (2.25), and its fifth in points (24). Alabama's ability to distribute the ball effectively has earned the Tide fifth place in assists (6) and assists per game (1.50).
Individually, Alabama has three players that are ranked in the top five in four different categories. Junior midfielder Chatham DeProspo and Boswell are tied for third in the league in goals (3), goals per game (1.50), while sophomore midfielder Emma Welch leads in assists (3) and assists per game (0.75). DeProspo is fourth in game-winning goals with one.
The Tide's 2-1-1 mark in league play has it sitting in third place in the SEC.
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER RPI
The 2016 Alabama soccer team is making a case to be mentioned among the most improved teams in NCAA Division I this season. After ending the 2015 season with only five total wins (5-12-2), the Crimson Tide has surpassed last year's win total as it boasts a record of 7-3-1 at the midway point of the current campaign.
As a result of the success on the pitch, Alabama has seen its stock rise in the national statistics. The RPI rankings were released earlier this week and Alabama was ranked No. 51, improving 24 spots from its No. 75 ranking the week before. In comparison, the Tide finished with a No. 213 RPI ranking year ago.
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 Tennessee, 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. Hart picked up his first career win over a top-25 opponent last Sunday, when Alabama registered an upset win over No. 14 Texas A&M in a match that was decided in sudden death overtime. Moreover, it is Alabama's first time to defeat Texas A&M since the 1995 season. Additionally, it is the first win over a top-25 opponent since Hart has taken the reigns. The victory over Texas A&M also marked the seventh win of the season, making the Tide two wins shy of breaking into the program's top-10 single seasons wins list.
SERIES HISTORY – MISSISSIPPI STATE
When Alabama and Mississippi State square off on Friday, it will mark the 21st meeting between the two programs in a series that dates back to the 1995 season. Alabama holds the advantage in the series, 11-6-3. Last year, the Tide lost to the Bulldogs, 2-1, in Tuscaloosa. The last time Alabama defeated Mississippi State was in the 2014 season, 3-1, in Starkville, Miss. The Bulldogs enter Friday's match with an overall 5-6 record, including an 0-4 mark in SEC play.
COMING UP
The Tide will return home after its match against Mississippi State, as it is set to take on Ole Miss on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. CT at the Alabama Soccer Complex.
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