CRIMSON TIDE NOTEBOOK: UA soccer team on a roll

The University of Alabama soccer team returns home this weekend to face Arkansas tonight and No. 19 LSU Sunday afternoon at the UA soccer complex.

The Crimson Tide (8-4-1, 1-2-1 SEC) is riding a five-game unbeaten streak at home dating to Sept. 19. Alabama is 5-2-1 at home this season, outscoring opponents 24-8.

UA features the nation’s 30th-ranked scoring offense with a 2.31 goals per game average and the top SEC team in shots (133) and shots on goal (10.23).

Individually, freshman Justine Bernier is the top goalkeeper in the SEC with 86 saves. She is 21st in the nation with an average of 7.17 saves per game. Sophomore Alex Butera is 39th nationally and fourth in the SEC with five assist.

Arkansas is coming off its biggest accomplishment in school history — a tie against No. 6 Tennessee.

The Razorbacks are led by freshman Kelly O’Connor and junior Lindsay Patterson. O’Conner leads the team with 16 points (six goals and three assists). Patterson is the only other person on the team with double-digit points with 13 (six goals and one assist). Alabama is 8-5-1 all-time vs. Arkansas and 6-1 all-time vs. the Hogs in Tuscaloosa.

“Arkansas is a very confident and motivated team right now. We are looking forward to the challenge on our field,” UA coach Don Staley said.

LSU visits Sunday afternoon after earning the program’s first national ranking this week. The Tigers come in at No. 19. LSU is lead by sophomore Rachel Yepez, who has already scored nine goals this season for the Tigers. That leads the SEC.

The Tide is 9-2-1 all-time vs. LSU and 5-0-1 all-time in Tuscaloosa.

Women’s golf back in action

The UA women’s golf team looks to build on its early momentum when the Tide visits Knoxville, Tenn., to compete in the annual Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship. The three-day event begins today at the Cherokee Country Club.

The Tide is coming off a victory at the Wildcat Invitational and has the highest team ranking in school history at No. 5.

Five other SEC teams are in the tournament — No. 6 Florida, No. 7 Tennessee, No. 9 Auburn, No. 19 Arkansas and No. 28 LSU.

Alabama finished 13th in the Mercedes-Benz last year. Tennessee took the title, edging Georgia in a playoff. Alabama graduate Jenny Suh won the individual competition with a 214.

The Tide is off to a fast start, finishing in a tie for third at the Cougar Classic then getting its first team title since 2005 at the Wildcat Invitational two weeks ago.

Individually, the Tide gave a stellar performance. Freshman Courtney Harter earned medalist honors in her first career event at UA with a 3-under-par 213. Another true freshman, Camilla Lennarth, was runner-up with a 214. Junior Kathleen Ekey fired a 216, good for third place.

Helena Blomberg also finished in the top 10 with a 224. Sarah Sturm shot a 225.

Baseball hitting clinic set

The Alabama baseball staff will offer a hitting clinic Monday and again Oct. 22 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the indoor hitting cages at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

The cost is $90 per person and includes both sessions. The camp is open to students in 9th through 12th grades.

For more information, call 205-348-8849 or e-mail coach Dax Norris (dnorris@ia.ua.edu). The deadline to register is Monday.

Men’s golf on a roll

The UA men’s golf team is now 2-for-2 on successfully defending titles. Last year two of the four tournament championships it won were at the Carpet Capital and at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate. UA has won both those events this fall.

Last year at the JPNI, which Alabama hosts in Birmingham, the Tide set a school 54-hole record to win at 33-under 819. On Tuesday, Jay Seawell’s team shattered that record by shooting 42-under 810.

Mark Harrell shared medalist honors and now owns the school 54-hole record. He shot 198 (66-64-68) to finish 15 under. The record had belonged to fellow senior Joseph Sykora, who had shot 199 to win the JPNI last fall.

Passink promoted

on basketball broadcasts

Former UA basketball player Bryan Passink has moved from courtside reporter to the analyst’s seat as the color commentator on the Crimson Tide Sports Network’s men’s basketball broadcast team.

He will join Chris Stewart, Alabama basketball’s radio play-by-play announcer.

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to become the color analyst for the University of Alabama basketball program,” Passink said.

Passink joined the CTSN broadcast team in 2004 as the courtside reporter. He played for Alabama in 1993-95.

CTSN’s broadcasts of Crimson Tide basketball begins with the Nov. 9 season-opener against Troy.

David Wasson’s Crimson Tide Notebook appears Fridays. He

can be reached at

david.wasson@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0229.