The Alabama soccer team is getting ready for its first two Southeastern Conference matches against Kentucky and Vanderbilt this weekend.
“We’re trying to get fired up this week, and it’s not hard to do that,” senior K.K. Duffy said. “These games are conference play, so they mean a lot more in terms of making the SEC tournament.”
The Crimson Tide had an 8-3-2 record before falling to Vanderbilt and Kentucky last year.
“Those two games were the derail of our season last year,” Duffy said. “Everyone’s pretty fired up to go back and get redemption from last year.”
The University of Kentucky lost their first game over the weekend to Dayton, while Vanderbilt has a 6-2 record so far. Head coach Todd Bramble said the Tide will be able to keep up with the opposing teams this weekend.
“I don’t expect a big goal differential,” Bramble said. “The games are going to be tight from start to finish with these teams.”
Bramble said the team is focusing on sharpening certain areas to prepare for this weekend.
“There are not a lot of drastic or dramatic changes right now,” Bramble said. “When you get into this type of game, it’s about attention to detail.”
The Tide will play both games at home, an advantage the team didn’t have last year.
“It’s always nice to get our first SEC games at home in front of our crowd,” junior Ashley Willis said. “It takes away the nerve of starting conference play.”
The Tide has won its last three games, with Willis scoring two of the four goals scored in the games.
“She’s gotten better each season,” Bramble said. “We’re always a better team when we can get her in the attack position.”
Willis said she has more confidence in the field this year because she’s a junior.
“I think I’m attacking a little more than I have been in the past two years,” Willis said. “The coaches and team have put a lot of trust in me, and that allows me to move forward.”
Friday’s game against Vanderbilt will honor senior K.K. Duffy, and the game Sunday will honor Carly Mygrants.
Alabama will be host Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. on Friday and Kentucky at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Alabama Soccer Stadium.
