| NEWS ⚽ BAMA Soccer '23: Bama falls to UNC 1-0 in 2nd round of NCAA Tournament. Season over...

No. 7 Alabama Wins Season Opener Against DePaul 2-0 - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Seventh-ranked Alabama soccer opened the 2023 campaign with a 2-0 victory over DePaul on Thursday night.

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The Crimson Tide extended its home winning streak to 21 straight victories at the Alabama Soccer Stadium​

Seventh-ranked Alabama soccer opened the 2023 campaign with a 2-0 victory over DePaul on Thursday night.

The Crimson Tide saw goals from Gianna Paul (4:57) and Itala Gemelli (43:26) in the win. With the victory, UA extended its home winning streak to an NCAA-leading 21 straight games.

From Head Coach Wes Hart​

"It was a win, so we will certainly take it. I was pleased. We're still learning and trying to figure out who we are, but I thought we saw some good moments. It was awesome to get an early goal, and then to end the half with a goal. I thought it was great. I thought our best stretch of the game was early in the second half. We were all over. I think if we could have got a goal there, probably the floodgates would've opened. Credit to DePaul, their keeper made some big saves and they hung tough and made it hard for us. Overall, I'm pleased we got the win."

 

[UA Press Release]

No. 12 Alabama Downs Southern Miss 2-0 - University of Alabama Athletics

Hattiesburg, Miss. – The 12th-ranked Alabama soccer team (5-0-2) captured a 2-0 victory over Southern Miss (2-4) Thursday.

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Hattiesburg, Miss. – The 12th-ranked Alabama soccer team (5-0-2) captured a 2-0 victory over Southern Miss (2-4) Thursday.

Both Alabama goals came in the opening 25 minutes of the game with Marianna Annest scoring in the ninth minute and Gianna Paul scoring in the 24th.

From Head Coach Wes Hart​

"It felt good to score a couple goals, but more importantly win the game. We created some good chances and defended well. I've been very pleased with our team defending this year. We've been stingy and have not given our opponents many good looks (on goal)."

The Game​

• A foul outside the box set Annest up for the first goal, as the defender played a ball through traffic and into the left corner of the net
• Paul gave the Tide its second goal, winning a ball 25-yards out before turning and hitting the crossbar with her shot
• Paul has now scored a goal in four games this season, while Annest tallied her first goal of the year
• UA limited the Golden Eagles to just two shots, marking the fourth time this season the Tide has held a team to five or less attempts in a game
• Additionally, Alabama has now kept five teams off the scoreboard as Dylan Pixton recorded her third shutout

Next​

• Alabama returns home to host third-ranked North Carolina on Sunday
• The two teams will kick off on ESPNU at 6 p.m. CT at the Alabama Soccer Stadium

 

[TerryP]

• Alabama returns home to host third-ranked North Carolina on Sunday

Is this the biggest game Bama has hosted in its history? It's not the highest ranked team—Arkansas was ranked #3 when Bama hosted them in 2020.

 

[UA Press Release]

No. 12 Alabama Hosts No. 3 North Carolina in Top-15 Showdown - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 12th-ranked Alabama soccer team (5-0-2) hosts third-ranked North Carolina (5-0-2) in a top-15 showdown at the Alabama Soccer Stadium Sunday.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 12th-ranked Alabama soccer team (5-0-2) hosts third-ranked North Carolina (5-0-2) in a top-15 showdown at the Alabama Soccer Stadium Sunday. The Crimson Tide and Tar Heels will kick off at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

Promotions​

• The first 100 students will receive a FREE honey butter chicken biscuit from Whataburger
• Sunday's game ball will be delivered by parachute courtesy of The Chuters
• Following the game, local music artist Jackson Chase will perform at the Alabama Soccer Stadium

Vs. North Carolina​

• Date: Sunday
• Time: 6 p.m. CT
• Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
• Venue: Alabama Soccer Stadium

All-Time vs. North Carolina​

• Overall: Third Meeting (Alabama trails, 0-2-0)
• Home: N/A | Away: 0-1-0 | Neutral: 0-1-0
• Last Meeting: Oct. 3, 1997 – Durham, N.C. - L, 0-6

How To Follow​

• Watch Alabama against North Carolina on ESPNU
• Links to the stream and live stats are available at RollTide.com

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Just tuned in, 0-0 at half. On ESPNU and ESPN+ for those interested.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I guess Hart has settled on this true freshman (Lallier) as the goalie... she seems pretty good and has done well so far this season.... bet she's going to be really, really good down the road a bit.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

UA ties it 1-1, 11 minutes to play in the 2nd!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

UA ties it 1-1, 11 minutes to play in the 2nd!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

LOL, Hart doesn't take any shit... he's got some Oats in him. He just bowed up at a UNC coach.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

LOL, Hart doesn't take any shit... he's got some Oats in him. He just bowed up at a UNC coach.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

 

[SnakeDoc]

UNC women are a soccer blue blood, right?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

UNC women are a soccer blue blood, right?

They've won over half of the national titles ever won in women's soccer.

 

[TerryP]

They've won over half of the national titles ever won in women's soccer.

If there ever was a time where I'll entertain the term "moral victory," it's this one.

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I've been interested to see how the polls react. After being ranked as high as #5 then having back to back draw against Miami and Samford they dropped the Tide to 12th. How will they view a draw against a team like UNC?

So far the only one that's been updated for week three is TopDrawer (who has moved Bama to #7.)

 

[UA Press Release]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A late equalizer by Gianna Paul highlighted the 12th-ranked Alabama soccer team's, 1-1, tie against No. 3 North Carolina (5-0-3) Sunday. The Crimson Tide remains undefeated on the season, moving to a 5-0-3 overall record, in addition to extending its home unbeaten streak to 24 games.

From Head Coach Wes Hart​

"I loved the overall effort our girls played with. Our goal going into this was win or lose, we're going to do it being us. You saw us pressing and working hard and being tenacious and they didn't like that. We absorbed some pressure. They're a good team, and they found plenty of times when they were able to break out on us. We didn't concede and our goalkeeper made some big saves. Our defenders made some big plays and it kept us in the game long enough to where we could take advantage of our chance. Overall, I thought the effort was tremendous."

The Game​

• Alabama held North Carolina off the scoreboard in the first half with Coralie Lallier making four saves in the opening 45 minutes
• The Tar Heels started the second half strong, eventually finding a goal in the 59th minute
• UNC's Avery Patterson dribbled down the field, cut the ball and shot it into the back of the net with her left foot
• The Tide found its equalizer off the foot of Paul in the 79th minute
• Marianna Annest played a ball over the top of North Carolina's back line for Paul to run onto
• After her first shot was saved, Paul lunged for the rebounded ball, forcing it into the back of the net
• Lallier made a career-high six saves in the game as the Tar Heels led 18-11 in shots
• The Tide's 11 shots marked a season high by a North Carolina opponent
• Paul's goal was her fifth of the season

Next​

• Alabama will host Georgia Thursday for the Southeastern Conference opener
• The game between the Tide and Bulldogs will kick off on SEC Network at 6 p.m. CT

 

[SnakeDoc]

They've won over half of the national titles ever won in women's soccer.

That tracks with what little I know about NCAAW soccer, thanks.

 

[TerryP]

That tracks with what little I know about NCAAW soccer, thanks.

Ladies like Mia Hamm, Tobin Heath, Kristine Lilly, Cat Reddick ... all of them, plus more, have been the foundation of what's built USWNT.

The Bama ladies have given the top teams (including those ranked #1) a run for their money the last few years. Even in a draw this may be the most impressive match in its history.

The off-handed comment by Brandon carries A LOT of truth:

LOL, Hart doesn't take any shit... he's got some Oats in him. He just bowed up at a UNC coach.

Hart is also running a program that we watched struggle through the SEC hoping we'd see get an invitation to the tournament. And, like Oats, he has what used to be an "also-ran" competing with the top teams in D1.

Last season I asked, "can he sustain this success?" This past weekend suggests he very well may.

UGA visits Thursday night. That'll be a fun atmosphere.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Tied UGA tonight. From what I saw, UA had some scoring chances late but couldn’t put it in the net. Bama scored their first goal just 4 minutes into the game. The grad transfer GK got the start tonight, not the freshman. I guess the GK is game by game, not sure.

 

[SnakeDoc]

Tied UGA tonight. From what I saw, UA had some scoring chances late but couldn’t put it in the net. Bama scored their first goal just 4 minutes into the game. The grad transfer GK got the start tonight, not the freshman. I guess the GK is game by game, not sure.

Is UGA a good team?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Is UGA a good team?

I don't follow soccer close enough (or know enough about it) to have an opinion on it, but they're ranked #23, so they aren't terrible.

 

[UA Press Release]

No. 7 Alabama Concludes Non-Conference Play at Mercer - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The seventh-ranked Alabama soccer team (5-0-4) will conclude its non-conference schedule on Sunday, facing the Mercer Bears in a 1 p.m. CT match.

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The seventh-ranked Alabama soccer team (5-0-4, 0-0-1 SEC) will conclude its non-conference schedule on Sunday, facing the Mercer Bears (5-0-4) in a 1 p.m. CT match. The game in Macon, Ga., will be streamed on ESPN+.

At Mercer​

• Date: Sunday
• Time: 1 p.m. CT
• Location: Macon, Ga.
• Venue: Bears Field

All-Time vs. Mercer​

• Overall: Eighth Meeting (Alabama leads, 7-1)
• Home: 4-1-0 | Away: 2-0-0 | Neutral: 1-0-0
• Last Meeting: Sept. 1, 2013 – Tuscaloosa – L, 2-1

How To Follow​

• Watch Alabama vs. Mercer on ESPN+
• Links to the stream and live stats are available at RollTide.com