Alabama Soccer Ends Road Trip with 3-1 Win at Lipscomb

Fresh off a tough, tenacious 1-0 win against UAB last Sunday, the No. 7 Alabama soccer team continued its winning ways against Lipscomb on Thursday night. The 3-1 triumph means it has officially been more than a full calendar year since the Crimson Tide, now 3-0 in 2023, lost a true road game.

Lipscomb did what UAB couldn’t. The Bisons (0-3) threw offense at Alabama, and lots of it. The attack kept the Crimson Tide on its heels in the first half, and in the second half, all the work Lipscomb was putting in gave way to the first goal Alabama has allowed this season. The home team never led, but never stopped fighting, and was rewarded with its first goal of the regular season.

"Wins are important, especially on the road," head coach Wes Hart said. "Despite their slow start, I believe Lipscomb will win a lot of games. It's a good team."

The Bisons just weren’t a match for the Crimson Tide’s offense. Alabama’s attack stayed quiet for much of the first half after scoring just once in the first matchup of the road trip against UAB, but once one found the back of the net, the floodgates opened. It was the Isabel Smith show on offense for long stretches of the contest. The transfer midfielder from Indiana recorded a brace by scoring in the 30th minute and 51st minute. Smith’s first goal was set up beautifully, with an assist from Itala Gemelli and Cameron Silva. It was a picture of what the new faces on the roster are capable of together. Her second goal came on a mistake by Bisons goalkeeper Sara Kile, who let the ball go off her hands.

This might have swiped all the momentum from under Lipscomb’s feet, but spectators wouldn’t have known it from the way the Bisons kept playing. Alabama had some difficulties as its opponent did well to maintain possession and keep the ball in the Crimson Tide’s half. That’s something Alabama does, one of the hallmarks of last season’s College Cup team which has carried over into the new season. The Crimson Tide did it again in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, leading to three straight scores. Sophomore forward Gianna Paul added her second goal of the fall with a nice shot from outside the box in the 60th minute. Alabama's scoring output on Thursday equaled its scoring output in the two preceding regular season contests combined.

"[I'm] glad our offense came alive tonight," Hart said. "We were able to score three and had a few more good chances that we missed. Happy for Izzy. She's been playing well, and glad to see her get her first goals for Alabama. Her first goal was huge for us. [It] came on a quick counterattack with some nice passing and some great movement off the ball."

Lipscomb managed to outshoot Alabama, 20-12, and took 10 corners to the Crimson Tide’s seven. The difference was which team capitalized. Were it not for a couple of shots that went just wide or just high, and the mistake in net on Smith’s second goal, the match could well have been completely different. Such is the nature of the game.

Dylan Pixton took over in net for Alabama, where she started the campaign before Coralie Lallier made her official collegiate debut against UAB. Pixton’s lone error led to the Lipscomb goal. She was caught way out of position, and the Bisons’ Kiara Pralle took advantage. Pixton had six saves in her toughest start at Alabama to date, outmatching Kile’s five.

Hart said Pixton was tested too much for his liking. He would have preferred for his team not to have given Lipscomb as many looks, but said it was awesome to see the Crimson Tide keeper make big saves when her team needed them.

Crimson Tide midfielder Macy Clem finally returned from an injury and made the start in her first game of the 2023 season. She was able to record one of her team’s 12 shots, eight of which were on goal. Felicia Knox, Clem’s counterpart in the midfield who was absent from play on Sunday night, made a quick return to action. It wasn’t her cleanest game, as she had three fouls, but her comeback was a massive step toward Alabama putting its injury issues behind it.

"Great to have Felicia and Macy back," said Hart. "Macy sat out the entire preseason. These minutes tonight were important to her. I thought she moved well and will continue to get sharper with time. Felicia had some great moments. [She] put Kate through on a breakaway early in the game and had a breakaway of her own in the second half. [Kile] came up big on both occasions."

The next time the Crimson Tide plays, it will be at the Alabama Soccer Stadium, but by no means whatsoever is the match an easy draw. No. 17 Memphis, which last fall almost stunned the soccer world by coming within two wins of a College Cup appearance of its own, brings its ranking and its two wins in three tries against the SEC to Tuscaloosa.

That match is set to kick off at 7 p.m. CT on Aug. 27.

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