Aug 22, 2013
LA Tech Game Notes 8/22/13 
C-USA Notebook
RUSTON - The Louisiana Tech soccer team has the honor of opening up the 2013-14 athletic season for LA Tech as they travel south to face the Lady Tigers of LSU at the LSU Soccer Stadium on Friday night at 7 p.m.
The squad, slam-packed with 18 freshmen, has only had two weeks of fall practice to cram in as much work as possible.
Through several two-a-days, team building exercises and community service, head coach Kevin Sherry is pleased with how far his team has come now only one day shy of kicking off the season opener.
"The team has made great progress in such a short time," said Sherry. "With there being so many freshmen this year it is a challenge to get them all coherent of what their role is on the field. There is still some ways to go, but they are quick-learners.
"The team is excited to get going. There is a great team spirit and they are really pumped to get on the field and meet the season full on. They are proud to be the first team to play from Tech as a new member of C-USA."
Any pregame jitters or butterflies will need to wear off quick as the Lady Techsters have arguably their toughest task of the year on their hands, and feet, as they take on a very talented SEC foe in LSU.
The Lady Tigers look to improve upon its 9-8-4 season from a year ago with the return of seven starters and a nationally-ranked recruiting class.
"Obviously playing against an SEC soccer powerhouse such as LSU we have to emphasize the defensive side of the game more," said Sherry about one of the keys to the match. "Their roster is full of FIFA world cup players. It will be a severe test of our defensive organization which is a good thing so early in the season."
Leading the way for LSU will be junior Alex Arlitt who was one of only three players to start all 21 matches last season and was the leading goal scorer with a career-high four goals. LSU also returns goalkeeper Megan Kinneman who made a career-high 117 saves last year which ranks 2nd all-time.
For LA Tech, a revamped back line with only two returners, Nicole Jaquemet and Taylor Douglas, will be crucial in preventing any one-on-one opportunities for the opponent.
The last line of defense for the Lady Techsters will the sure-handed senior Caitlin Updyke who hopes to put together another stellar season in net as she returns from a season-ending arm injury.
On offense, sophomore strikers Laura LeFevour and Rosie Lethbridge and a bevy of freshmen itching to score their first goal will be relied on take advantage of their scoring chances in the box.
This will only be the second meeting ever between the in-state schools on the soccer field. The lone time was in 2007 at the LSU Soccer Classic in Baton Rouge that saw the Lady Techsters drop a 2-0 decision to the host school.
LSU is one of only two SEC teams, along with Arkansas, that LA Tech has faced in the program's nine years of existence.
The match can be followed through live stats and/or live video, subscription needed, in the links provided on the schedule page.
For complete coverage of LA Tech Soccer, please follow @LATechSOC on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at www.LATechSports.com.
