The ninth-ranked Arkansas soccer team earned a hard-fought point during a 1-1 draw at LSU on Thursday night.
The Razorbacks (10-3-2, 6-1-1 SEC) came from behind to tie the game with seven minutes left. In typical Arkansas fashion, the goal came off a set piece.
In the 83rd minute, freshman midfielder Avery Wren played a short free kick to senior forward Ava Tankersley, who slotted the ball across the face of the goal. LSU goalkeeper Molly Swift got a hand to Tankersley’s cross but pushed it directly into the path of senior midfielder Bea Franklin, and her sliding tap-in knotted the match.
The goal was Franklin’s sixth of the season, which tied her with graduate transfer forward Morgan White for the team lead. She nearly had the opening goal of the match in the 60th minute when her header was cleared off the goal line.
Swift made a handful of key saves to preserve the draw for the Tigers (8-6-2, 3-4-1). She set the program record for career saves (289).
LSU forward Ava Galligan’s glancing header on a whipped cross into the box in the 77th minute gave the Tigers a late advantage. Galligan had missed a prime goal-scoring chance in the final moments of the first half.
With 10 seconds left in the half, her breakaway attempt was stopped with a kick save from freshman goalkeeper Phoebe Carver. Carver made the start in goal and recorded two saves in the first half.
Junior goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde played the final 45 minutes for Arkansas. She made three saves and allowed LSU's goal.
The Tigers out-shot the Razorbacks 6-2 through the first 45 minutes until the visitors increased the pressure. Arkansas, after recording one shot on goal in the first half, totaled 17 shots.
Freshman midfielder Kennedy Ball had a chance to put the Razorbacks ahead in the first half after she got behind the LSU defense. Her one-on-one attempt with Swift resulted in a shot that sailed wide and into the outside of the net.
The Tigers and Razorbacks played a chippy affair with a combination of 41 fouls and seven yellow cards. Both benches received cautions for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Arkansas is scheduled to host Ole Miss (6-6-3, 2-4-2 SEC) at Razorback Field on Sunday.