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Razorback Report: Arkansas wins exhibition match to open 2025 season

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Taylor Hodges | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 12:33 PM ET

Arkansas’ soccer season officially got underway Tuesday evening in the first live action of the 2025 season.

In an exhibition match, the No. 6-ranked Razorbacks defeated Mercer 3-1 in Fayetteville Tuesday night. Cora Hair scored the game’s first goal, but UT Martin’s Allie Buchmann tied the game at 1-1.

Sabrina Jones would break the tie on a header from BYU transfer Erin Bailey, and Paige Szymanski made the score 3-1 with a goal on a free kick rebound. It was far from a perfect performance by the Razorbacks, but don't expect anyone to start panicking after one exhibition match.

“It was a rough first one,” Arkansas coach Coby Hale said. “That’s why you play them. We did not look sharp. We were not good at the things we needed to be good at ... Clearly, we’re four or five days in; there’s no panic button. We didn’t play well and we’ve got to make sure we’re playing hard. [UT Martin] looked like a team that was coming in to make a point.”

Quickkkk recap from tonight pic.twitter.com/sWzDKyl6Wh
— Arkansas Soccer (@RazorbackSoccer) August 6, 2025

Arkansas is coming off another season of 15 or more wins in 2024 and have won at least 11 matches in each of the last nine. The Razorbacks went 16-2-3 and 8-1-1 in SEC play a year ago and advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament before being eliminated by Stanford.

To add to the difficulty level, Arkansas lost its two leading scorers, Ava Tankersley and Kate Doyle, but Arkansas is still a talented team that lives in the Top 10.

The Razorbacks will play one more exhibition match Saturday against Oral Roberts before kicking off the regular season Aug. 14 at home against No. 13 Iowa. Three days later, the Razorbacks will learn how good they really are when No. 2 Notre Dame comes to Fayetteville.

Saturday’s exhibition match at Razorback Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. and is free to the public.

Postgame Hog Calls are SO back pic.twitter.com/FpcOCIFa4X
— Arkansas Soccer (@RazorbackSoccer) August 6, 2025

Yesterday’s Results

Soccer:
Arkansas 3, UT Martin 1

Today’s Schedule

No games scheduled.

Did You Notice?

Arkansas running back Braylen Russell was named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. Read the full story here.

The SEC announced the 2025-26 conference schedule for Arkansas and the 15 other SEC teams. Check out the schedule here.

Countdown until Arkansas’s Season Opener

24 days

Daily Dose Of Frank Broyles

“While his main responsibility was the athletics program, Coach Broyles understood and cared deeply about the entire mission of the university. When I was dean of Fulbright College, I greatly appreciated his understanding that the purpose of athletics was to showcase our students – not only the talents of the players, but also the cheerleaders, the marching band and others involved. He saw the big picture and because of that, he and the university had great success during his tenure as coach and athletic director. I’m saddened by his passing, but his legacy will live on for generations.”Donald R. Bobbitt, UA System President