TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 18th-ranked LSU soccer team will look to rebound from a 3-1 setback at Auburn on Friday night when it wraps up its four-game Southeastern Conference road swing Sunday with a trip to the Alabama Soccer Stadium to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide at 1 p.m. CDT.
The Tigers (10-5-1, 5-2 SEC) fell back into a three-way tie for second place on the overall SEC table with Georgia and South Carolina as each team has secured 15 points in seven league matches. Florida defeated Ole Miss by a score of 2-0 on Friday to grab sole possession of first place with a 6-1 mark and 18 points.
Despite the loss, LSU still owns a three-point lead over Auburn in the race for the SEC West crown as the Tigers remain in position to win their fourth division title in five seasons.
The Tigers will face an Alabama squad that is playing with confidence following a crushing 3-0 defeat of Arkansas on Friday night to put itself back in position for an SEC Tournament berth this season. Alabama (7-6-2, 2-4-1) moved into sole possession of eighth place with seven points in the SEC standings after the 3-0 win over Arkansas as it is now in line to grab the final spot in the SEC Tournament field.
LSU owns an impressive five-game unbeaten streak against the Crimson Tide entering Sunday's match as it has posted a 4-0-1 mark in the series since the 2006 season. That includes a 0-0 draw in a fixture played at the LSU Soccer Stadium in Baton Rouge a season ago.
LSU has not dropped a match to Alabama in more than six years as it last dropped a decision back on Oct. 14, 2005, by a score of 3-1 in a match played at the Alabama Soccer Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama has been strong at home during the 2011 season as it has won four of its last five matches played at the Alabama Soccer Stadium, including a 3-0 shutout of Arkansas on Friday night. Alabama is 6-2-1 in nine matches played in Tuscaloosa this season and 2-1 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide has also outscored its opponents by a margin of 18-7 in those nine home matches played during the 2011 campaign.
Live updates and exclusive coverage of Sunday's SEC West clash between LSU and Alabama is available by liking LSU Soccer on Facebook and following @LSUSoccer on Twitter. In addition, fans are welcome to join in the live in-game commentary throughout the match as part of LSU Soccer's Facebook chat.
After wrapping up its four-game SEC road swing on Sunday, the Tigers return home to Baton Rouge next week as they welcome the South Carolina Gamecocks to the LSU Soccer Stadium on Thursday night with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CDT in their home finale for the 2011 regular season.
LSU will then close out the 2011 regular season on the road with matches against SEC-leading Florida on Sunday, Oct. 23, in Gainesville and Arkansas on Friday, Oct. 28, in Fayetteville.
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