LSU soccer to face Vanderbilt in SEC tourney opener

• Advocate news services
• Published: Nov 4, 2009

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The 16th-ranked LSU soccer team will to take on Vanderbilt in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament at noon today at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.

The Tigers (12-4-3, 8-2-1 SEC) will compete as the No. 2 seed for the second-straight season after setting a record with eight wins and 25 points in SEC play.

LSU is the three-time defending SEC Western Division champion after capturing its third-straight title on Friday night with a dominating 4-1 win over the Arkansas in its regular season finale in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Commodores (11-7-1, 5-6 SEC), the tournament’s seventh seed, are on a four-game win streak in SEC play that includes four straight shutouts.

It took overtime to determine the winner of the regular season fixture between the two sides as LSU came out on top with a 2-1 victory against Vanderbilt on Oct. 11 in Nashville. LSU’s Malorie Rutledge scored the game-winner with just 28 seconds remaining in the first overtime period.

“Vanderbilt is a very good and very confident team right now having won four in a row, and I’m sure that they will come to Orange Beach with the intent on solidifying their spot in the NCAA Tournament,” said LSU coach Brian Lee.

“We feel like they are very deserving of an NCAA bid and will get one when the field is announced next week. They (the Commodores) were very tough for us to play in the regular season, and it speaks to the strength of this conference to have the opportunity to play a team like Vanderbilt in the first round.”

LSU carries a four-game unbeaten streak against the Commodores into today’s opening round game.

Rutledge leads the LSU attack once again this season as she was honored as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row Tuesday. Rutledge, who also earned a first-team All-SEC selection for the third-straight season, is the team’s leading scorer once again in 2009 with nine goals and 11 assists for 29 points.

Four other Tigers also received all-conference accolades as senior defender Chelsea Potts earned first-team honors, while senior midfielder Melissa Clarke and sophomore midfielder Allysha Chapman each earned a second-team selection. Freshman striker Carlie Banks was selected as a member of the SEC all-freshman team for her performance this fall.