FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas closes out the 2017 regular season Thursday night when it hosts No. 19 Tennessee for Senior Night at Razorback Field.
First kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised on SEC Network+.
Arkansas (9-8-1, 4-4-1 SEC) is coming off another split home and away weekend in which it fell to Alabama in the late minutes, but bounced back to defeat Kentucky, 2-0, three days later for its third-straight conference road win.
Of those three wins, all have come by way of the shutout. The clean sheet has been Arkansas’ calling card this year as seven of its nine victories have been by shutout and all 13 of their conference points have come by shutting out the opponent.
Arkansas will hope to come away with its second conference home victory of the year when it faces the Volunteers tomorrow night. It will also be the last home match for the careers of Jessi Hartzler, Reid Sibley, Katie Kienstra, Jordan Harris, Qyara Winston, and Hannah Neece.
Combined, the six players have accounted for 19 goals, 13 assists, 51 points, six shutouts, and 68 saves. Hartzler comes into Thursday with the most goals (12) among all active Razorbacks with her most recent score coming off a corner kick on Sunday against Kentucky. It was her sixth game-winning goal of her career.
The Razorbacks will be facing a Tennessee (13-3-1, 5-3-1 SEC) team that has dropped its last two matches after winning 13 of its first 15 matches this year. Freshman Khadija Shaw leads all Volunteers with 13 goals and 30 points, while goalkeeper Shae Yanez has tended the net in all 17 matches and has accumulated a 0.84 goals against average.
Follow Live
Thursday’s match with the Volunteers will be broadcast online only on SEC Network+ via WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.
Live stats for the match will be available on ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
Promotions
Trick or Treat/Fan Appreciation Night presented by P&G
The night’s festivities include: Trick or Treating and Costume Contest for all kids in attendance featuring candy, free face painting, giveaways and more. The first 200 fans through the gates will receive a pair of Razorback Socks to show our appreciation of your support during the 2017 regular season!
Student Night presented by UAASG
• UA Students get in FREE with ID and will have the chance to win:
• A $25 Whataburger Gift Card, a &75 Visa Gift Card or a 43” LG Smart LED TV
• The first 200 students in the gates will receive either a:
• Razorback Soccer Tank-top, Soccer scarf, or a pair of Razorback Soccer Socks
Quick Kicks
• Thursday’s match with the Volunteers will be the final home match of the 2017 season and will be Senior Day for Jessi Hartzler, Katie Kienstra, Reid Sibley, Jordan Harris, Hannah Neece, and Qyara Winston.
• Combined, Arkansas’ seniors make up 19 goals, 68 saves, and six shutouts. Hartzler is responsible for 12 of those goals as she leads all active Razorbacks.
• For the eighth time this year, Arkansas shutout its opponent when it blanked Kentucky in Lexington on Sunday, 2-0. Seven of Arkansas’ nine victories have come by way of the shutout this year.
• All 13 of Arkansas’ conference points have come via the shutout, including the scoreless draw at Vanderbilt (Sept. 21), its only tie this season.
• In those eight shutouts, the Razorback defense has held opponents to 17 shots or less and a .338 shot on goal percentage. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Jordan Harris has six full shutouts this year.
• Arkansas scored twice on Sunday at Kentucky, both off corner kicks. The Razorbacks have scored four times off corner kicks this year and 12 in the last two years.
• Freshman Parker Goins got the assist on both of Arkansas’ goals Sunday at Kentucky from her corner kicks. It was her first multi-assist game since Sept. 3 against Mississippi Valley State.
• Goins continues to lead the team in points as she now has 22, tying for fourth in the Southeastern Conference.
• Tennessee owns the all-time series against Arkansas as it is winners in 11 of 16 matches since 1996, but the Razorbacks have won three of its last four meeting with the Vols going back to 2012.
• Senior Jessi Hartzler has been Arkansas’ ironwoman over the last two years. This season, she has started all 18 matches and logged 1,619 minutes. In 2016, she started every match (24) and logged 2,108 out of a possible 2,220 minutes.
