Arkansas wins SEC soccer championship for 2nd year in a row

Arkansas' Ava Tankersley (21) and Mississippi State's Olivia Simpson (23) battle for possession during a game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, in Starkville, Miss.

— Arkansas clinched at least a share of the SEC soccer championship Friday with a 2-1 victory at Mississippi State.

The Razorbacks (7-1) will be the No. 1 seed and have a double bye at the SEC Tournament that is scheduled to begin next Friday in Orange Beach, Ala.

Arkansas won the SEC championship for the second consecutive season and will be the outright champion if Texas A&M loses or ties Monday against Auburn. The Razorbacks defeated Texas A&M 2-1 on Oct. 4 to claim the head-to-head tiebreaker.

"We kind of said at the beginning of the year the covid championship was going to be different, and it has been in pretty much every way," Arkansas coach Colby Hale said. "It's been exhausting and exciting and rewarding.

"We're really proud of everything we've been through to get to this."

The Razorbacks were tied with South Carolina atop the SEC standings entering the regular-season finale, but the Gamecocks lost 1-0 at Tennessee on Friday. The Volunteers clinched the No. 2 seed in the tournament with the victory.

Hale said he was getting updates on the South Carolina-Tennessee game during the first half at Mississippi State. With Arkansas leading the Bulldogs 2-1 at halftime, Hale told his players South Carolina lost its game that began an hour earlier.

"I said, 'Just so you know, South Carolina lost,'" Hale said. "We would have (tied) for the championship anyway, but I think the fact we'd be the (No.) 1 seed was big."

Parker Goins and Ava Tankersley scored goals in the first 19 minutes to give Arkansas a 2-0 lead at Mississippi State. Goins has scored four goals this season and Tankersley, a freshman, has scored three.

Goins' 25th career goal moved the senior into a tie for sixth most in program history.

The Bulldogs (2-3-3) pulled within 2-1 on Hailey Farrington-Bentil's goal in the 33rd minute, but neither team scored after halftime. Taylor Beitz had four saves for the Razorbacks, including one early in the second half.

Arkansas defeated an SEC West opponent for the 13th consecutive game and extended its unbeaten streak to 17 games against division opponents.

"We got their best effort," Hale said. "We're the defending champions and they were fighting for a top four (seed)."

Arkansas had its sixth consecutive game end in a score of 2-1. The Razorbacks won five of the games, with their lone loss coming at home to South Carolina three weeks ago.

"I get a haircut tomorrow and it is at an all-time gray, I can tell you that," Hale said. "It's a crazy year and the kids are fighting."

Arkansas had not won a conference soccer championship prior to last year. It became the first SEC program to repeat during the regular season since South Carolina won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.

The Razorbacks now have their sights toward winning a conference tournament for the first time. Arkansas has been the runner-up at the tournament in Orange Beach four consecutive seasons.

"I think the players really want the tournament," Hale said. "We'll take a couple of days out and we'll assess where we're at. We've been in the final four straight years and I think they feel like we're due and this is our year. We'll have to fight for it because there are a lot of good teams in the SEC."

The soccer team became the Razorbacks' third program to win an SEC title this fall. Arkansas' men's and women's cross country teams won at the conference meet last Friday in Baton Rouge, La.

"That's insane: three sports, three SEC champions, all from Arkansas," Hale said. "That a great accomplishment."