The University of Alabama’s soccer team is set to host two matches this weekend against No. 2 Virginia and Jacksonville State. Friday night’s match against Virginia will be the highest ranked opponent The University of Alabama has ever faced at home.

The Crimson Tide (2-1-1) spent the better part of the week practicing for its upcoming matches. Though Virginia is the highest ranked opponent Alabama has ever met, coach Todd Bramble said the team isn’t worried about the Cavaliers’ rank or their dominant players.

“[Virginia is] just a really skillful, talented team that plays good soccer,” Bramble said. “They obviously have Morgan Brian on the team who’s the reigning Hermann Trophy winner in college soccer and current U.S. Women’s National Team member, so that will certainly be a treat for the fans and the kids in the community to watch a player like that play on our field. So we’re going to treat them with the appropriate amount of respect, but not too much respect. We’re really confident about the team that we have right now.”

Brian, a senior from St. Simons Island, Georgia, has 31 career goals under her belt and has a shot average of .118 and a shots on goal average of .427. She has both domestic and international experience, which makes her a dominant player on the field.

Bramble also said this past weekend’s draw with Middle Tennessee helped the Crimson Tide gain experience playing into overtime. Alabama tied 2-2 against Middle Tennessee and played two overtime periods.

“There is some value in having played, though we’re disappointed in the result. There’s some value in playing an overtime game up in Tennessee on Sunday,” Bramble said. “It won’t be the last overtime game we’ll have this year.”

As for Jacksonville State, Bramble said the team wasn’t brushing the Gamecocks off. Known for their spirited tactics on the field, Bramble said Jacksonville State is always a competitor.

“They are a scrappy, feisty, hardworking team that’s super disruptive,” Bramble said. “They are led by a coach who spent many, many years in the SEC at Mississippi State, so he certainly knows what the level of play looks like … They’re going to give us everything they can on Sunday.”

Alabama kicks off Friday night’s match against No. 2 Virginia at 7 p.m. Sunday’s match against Jacksonville State will also start at 7 p.m.