Alabama Soccer Shoots the Lights Out in Season Opener to Jacksonville State, 4-0
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — "We had to work the kinks out" is a saying usually reserved for players and coaches after their season opener, but that wasn't the case Thursday evening for Alabama soccer.
No, the team was fine. Well, it was more than that, though rainy weather and a bizarre power outage turned a convincing win into overkill, as if the Alabama attack didn't do enough damage to the Jacksonville State morale during the 4-0 victory.
"The big thing for us was the mentality and aggressiveness that we came out with tonight," Alabama coach Wes Hart said. "Especially when we've got the number one team in the country in Florida State on Sunday, the easy thing would be to think about Florida State but I didn't see that."
It took 10 minutes for the Crimson Tide to score its first goal of the season, and junior Reyna Reyes claimed that honor after teammate and transfer Ashlynn Serepca assisted via deflection off Gamecock keeper Morgan Lerch.
Alabama kept on the attack, and much of its build-up play was initiated by Reyes, who floated as right winger, wingback, and central midfielder.
Overall, though, the Crimson Tide (1-0) showed a balanced offense, and it was fluid in its formation of 2-5-3 and 2-3-5, with players like Reyes and left wingback, or center back, Bella Scaturro controlling play on the left side of the pitch.
Midfielder Felicia Knox, Alabama's leading goal scorer last season, controlled the center of the offense and kept the Tide organized in its one-twos and balls over the top. She was influential throughout the night and set up multiple goal-scoring opportunities.
"She's got things that are hard to teach. She's just around soccer all the time and you can tell when you watch her," Hart said of the midfielder.
Then there was junior Macy Clem, the second of four Alabama players to score against visiting Jacksonville State (0-1). She, along with Knox and Reyes, helped control possession, and in the 45th minute Clem scored the second goal. It was unassisted.
Upon the halftime whistle, though, power was out at the on-campus stadium, and the wait to return to action took about one hour.
Alabama finished the half with 14 shots and 10 on goal, while the Gamecocks tallied two shots and one on goal in the first 45 minutes.
"We looked confident, but we weren't arrogant like we were going to walk through them," Hart said. "Our pressing was good, our transition was good, we lost balls, we got back in there, and we were just really good."
But Alabama didn't lose its momentum to start the second half.
Serepca, the aforementioned transfer from Virginia who assisted Reyes to make it 1-0, scored in the 46th minute to all but take out a few extra nails to the metaphorical coffin.
"She just brings a calmness, a soccer IQ to the game," Hart said of the former Cavalier. "You can play balls into her and she can play them over the top, and I was happy for her."
Once the match was 3-0 in favor of Alabama, the ball never seemed to cross the halfway line again, as the Crimson Tide dictated play, even more so than initially, to an overmatched Gamecock team that only returned three starters.
Leah Kunde, one of many who helped Alabama to its first win, scored the fourth goal in another unassisted effort. It came after Lerch, the Gamecock keeper, mishandled a ball that came into her, and Kunde was there to sweep it into the net.
The Crimson Tide accounted for 25 total shots and 14 on goal, and the Gamecocks tallied five total shots and two on goal. Meanwhile, Alabama took 12 corners compared to Jacksonville State's zero.
Alabama soccer returns to play Sunday at Florida State.
