2022: The Year Alabama Soccer Came into Its Own

The years of work of Wes Hart and the program have manifested itself this season, and it's far from a short-term experience.

The second round matchup between Alabama and Portland is only hours away. Wes Hart and the Crimson Tide, now a week removed from an opening round curb-stomping of Jackson State, will take the field second in a Tuscaloosa doubleheader (Brown and UC Irvine will play at 3 p.m. CT, followed by Alabama and Portland at 6 p.m. CT).

It wouldn't be far-fetched to think that Alabama will advance past this weekend, defeating the Pilots on Friday and the winner of UC Irvine and Brown on Sunday. After all, the Crimson Tide is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, it has the nation's assist leader and a top-10 goal scorer among the ranks, and a third of the roster received All-SEC Honors.

However, the aura surrounding this team is something different than the excitement and anticipation watching the team go on a historic run. It's evolved past watching Felicia Knox, Riley Mattingly Parker, Reyna Reyes and the team put on dominating performances week in and week out; it's more than thinking that Alabama has a better chance with the fourth and fifth seeds being upset.

In some ways, it is a reference to the dynasty program built a few minutes down University Boulevard, and how Nick Saban and Alabama football have established a reputation of being among the best.

For this soccer team, it's becoming almost impossible to think it can lose.

Obviously, the team has suffered a couple losses: one early in the season to Miami, and the other to South Carolina in the championship game of the SEC Tournament. But the team that was defeated by the Hurricanes early in the season was not the battle-tested squad that rose to the top of the RPI rankings.

A big factor that leads to Alabama soccer reaching this point is consistently imposing its will on opponents. The team's aggressive style is a collective effort, with forwards coming back to fortify the defense, and in transition, the team moves as one, connecting passes until it finds a crease in the defense and create scoring opportunities.

While the approach may change depending on who's on the other side, the mentality never changes, regardless if it's the starters or reserves.

"Everyone has to be bought into that pressing style," senior forward Ashlynn Serepca said during Thursday's media availability. "If one person's late, if one person isn't on board with it, it can break it all down.

"I think every person on this team has really embraced their role in that aspect."

Hart himself spoke to the consistency of his team executing the plan every game, sharing how he's pleased with how his team doesn't play down to any opponents.

"It goes back to us focusing on us," Hart said. "For us, we want to focus on what we're good at, what makes us, us. We wanna hunt, press, make penetrating runs. As long we take care of us, we give ourselves a very good chance of winning."

Neither Hart nor Serepca are giving caged responses: any player who's spoken to the media this season, whether it's Parker, Knox, Reyes or anyone else, the team has maintained its mentality all season, especially Parker, who reminds the public that she is not satisfied with individual accolades or records, or with any previous win. 

The game is mental just as it is physical, and the Crimson Tide has excellent mental fortitude.

The physical? That goes without question. Just look at the list of new records and amount of wins and accolades this team has amassed over the course of the season.

Now, this is not to say this team can start a dynasty: success, as great as it may be, needs longevity to garner such distinction. That said, the intangibles associated with Saban and the football program have made their way to Alabama Soccer Stadium. 

And this year's squad has the mental and physical makeup of a team that can go the distance.

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See Also:

Joy in Net: McKinley Crone More Than Alabama Soccer's Last Line of Defense

Soccer How To Watch: No. 1 Alabama vs. Portland