Texas A&M soccer looks to win its first SEC game of the season away from home against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, followed by a home weekend matchup against thr Rice University Owls.
The Aggies’ last game against the University of Alabama ended with a 3-0 loss on the road on Sunday, Sept. 25. The top-10-ranked Crimson Tide were the 12th Man’s third-straight SEC loss.
Coach G Guerrieri recognizes the challenge that the Razorbacks will be for the maroon and white, but he is confident in his players.
“Another tall task, I wouldn’t go with any other group,” Guerrieri said to 12thMan.com.
The Fightin’ Farmers are 0-3 in conference play, but they are 5-4-2 overall. Sophomore defender and forward Mia Pante believes in her team and knows what needs to happen for this upcoming game and the rest of their season.
“This is conference play,” Pante said. “You need to win, so that’s [the] bottom line.”
The Razorbacks have a better record in SEC play with two wins and one loss. Arkansas has an overall record of 7-2-1 and has won all four of its home games so far this season. The Aggies’ away statistics are 1-1-2.
“Luck will turn with our hard work,” Guerrieri said to 12thMan.com.
Arkansas averaged 2.96 goals scored per game, and its opponents averaged just one against them in the 2021 season. Last season, the Razorbacks won nine out of 10 conference matches and ended at the top of the SEC.
Of the past two conference opponents that A&M has faced, both have been ranked as top-25 teams. The Aggies have totaled 26 fouls in those two games, but their opponents have fouled A&M 27 times between both teams.
“Playing in the SEC, it’s a lot more physical. It’s faster,” junior midfielder Taylor Pounds said.
The maroon and white will face off against an unranked Arkansas on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. hoping to kickstart a conference winning streak and end the Razorbacks’ streak of winning at home.
“A little bit of good luck would be very welcomed,” Guerrieri said to 12thMan.com.
A few days after the game against the Razorbacks, the Aggies will play Rice University on Sunday, Oct 2, at 7 p.m. at Ellis Field.
The Owls are 3-0 in conference play heading into a match on Thursday, Sept. 29, against Florida Atlantic who is 1-1-1 in Conference USA play. The Aggies have won five out of the last six match ups against Rice, including every home game against the Owls.
Rice’s starting goalkeeper is senior Bella Killgore. Killgore has an average goals-against statistic of 1.67 goals per game over her 971 minutes played so far this season for the Owls. The goalkeeper has also scored the most goals out of any other player so far this season. Killgore scored three out of her four goals off of penalty kicks.
“Every game we’re growing. We’re getting better and better and better,” Pante said.
A&M has only lost one time to a non-conference opponent so far this season. That at-home loss took place against a ranked TCU team who won 2-1.
Both the away SEC matchup and the home non-conference games offer the Aggies room for improvement in the pursuit of Guerrieri’s pre-season goal: a spot in the SEC conference championships.
