USC hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Pepperdine
With just one weekend of non-conference play left before the Pac-12 season kicks off, the USC women’s soccer team is looking to continue their sizzling start and keep fine-tuning the details before conference play commences.
We got the Fink · Junior forward Jamie Fink has netted four goals on the season, good for second on the team. Fink now has 10 career scores. – Brian Ji | Daily Trojan
Though the temperatures have been well into the 90s all week, head coach Keidane McAlpine and his staff know that this is no time to take a break, especially after being caught a little off guard in last Sunday’s 1-1 draw against UC Irvine.
“No doubt this has been a grind week,” McAlpine said. “Us coaches have really pushed the girls hard this week, but I think they are going to respond. It’s a little difficult because we’ve been trying to replicate what this past Sunday was like for them by trying to make them uncomfortable and forcing them to really focus and adjust.”
The team hopes that a week of hard work will pay off this weekend, during which they will have two potentially tough home games to close out the non-conference slate. The first will take place this on Friday, when USC will host an Arkansas Pine-Bluff team that has struggled thus far. As such, the Golden Lions will have nothing to lose and everything to prove against the Women of Troy, who currently hold the No. 15 ranking in the NSCAA coaches poll.
When asked about the challenge presented by the Golden Lions, McAlpine was adamant that his team will need to come ready to play.
“We can’t overlook Arkansas Pine-Bluff regardless of what their record is,” McAlpine said. “They are still Division 1 athletes that can hurt us, and so we’ve got to go out with the same intensity as we would every game, especially so we can be prepared for Sunday’s game.”
Two days later, the Women of Troy will face Pepperdine in what could be quite a showdown. USC hosts the No. 12 Waves, who currently hold a 6-1-1 record, in the final non-conference game of the year. The Waves’ only loss came on Sept. 7 at the hands of No. 1 UCLA, by a score of 2-0. They also tied with now-No. 25 ranked Washington State on Sept. 5 and can boast a 1-0 victory over No. 9 North Carolina on Aug. 31.
The matchup with Pepperdine will provide USC with their most formidable foe since a matchup with then-No. 9 Notre Dame on Aug. 31st, which USC won 2-1.
“Pepperdine is a big time game,” McAlpine said. “They are very organized. They’ve had some great results … and they beat us last year. It’s a game where we are really going to have to be locked in and disciplined and play efficiently and work for the entire game.”
Lynn Williams, who has already scored five times this season to go with her two assists, leads the Waves’ offensive attack. Williams is helped by her striking partner Taylor Alvarado, who is the only other player on the team with multiple goals.
USC senior goalkeeper Caroline Stanley will do her best to stifle Williams and the Pepperdine offense. Stanley has been a brick wall so far this season, recording 20 saves and allowing only five goals in the team’s seven games.
The Waves’ defense is anchored by goalkeeper Hannah Seabert, who has also run a tight ship this season. Seabert has only allowed five goals in the team’s eight games.
The Women of Troy’s goal-scorers will attempt to break through this tough Pepperdine defense. Senior midfielder Alex Quincey leads the team with five goals, while junior midfielder Jamie Fink is close behind with four. Junior Tamara Mejia leads the team in assists with three.
Though keeping the Waves at bay will be no easy task, there is reason to believe that the Women of Troy are up to the task.
“No doubt it has been a tough week, but we are going to be prepared,” McAlpine said. “We are a very talented team, and I expect us to come out and play well this weekend.”
Friday’s matchup against the Golden Lions will roar to life at 3 p.m., while the Sunday showdown with Pepperdine will start at 3:30 p.m. Both games will be played at McAlister Field, and for those who are on the fence about attending: the first 100 students that arrive to the game Friday will receive a free hamburger from the Lobos Food Truck, and Sunday’s game will feature $1 hot dogs for every fan in attendance.
The Women of Troy begin play in the treacherous Pac-12 conference next week, starting with a road trip to play Arizona on Thursday, Sept. 26.