Bama Central

No. 11 Alabama Soccer Knocks Off No. 5 South Carolina

Two second-half goals lift the Crimson Tide to the biggest regular-season win in program history.

Katie Windham

Alabama Athletics

Earlier in the week, Alabama soccer earned its highest ranking in program history, and Thursday night the team proved why it belongs there. 

For the third time this year, the Crimson Tide went up against a ranked team, and for the third time, Alabama came away with the win. 

This time, No. 11 Alabama knocked off No. 5 and undefeated South Carolina with a 2-0 victory at the Alabama Soccer Stadium. 

"What a massive win for our program tonight," Alabama head coach Wes Hart said in a statement. "I thought we played well from start to finish and dominated large stretches of the match. I thought it was our most complete game of the season. So many great performances by so many different players. 

"So great to get a top-five win at home in front of an awesome crowd. Once again, they played a big role in the game."

It marked just the second time in program history Alabama has beaten two top-10 teams in the same season after beating No. 6 BYU on Sept. 1. 

The win also improved Alabama's home winning streak to 11 games, the longest in school history. 

Neither team could break through in the first half, but Alabama didn't let off the pressure in the second half. Finally, at the 53' mark, Felicia Knox took a ball from former Gamecock Riley Tanner and rocketed it into the back of the net to give Alabama the 1-0 lead. 

Just one minute later, Knox set up a corner kick that Riley Parker headed into the goal for her team-leading seventh goal to make it 2-0. On the postgame interview on SEC Network, Parker said she knew all day that she was going to score Thursday night. 

That score would hold as the Crimson Tide defense stayed strong in the second half.

McKinley Crone notched her fourth solo shutout of the season. 

The Crimson Tide improved to 7-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the SEC. '

Alabama will host Chattanooga on Sunday at 6 p.m. It'll resume SEC play on Thursday at Tennessee.  

Reyna Reyes of Alabama soccer / Alabama Athletics
Brooke Steere / Alabama Athletics
Ashlynn Serepca / Alabama Athletics
Riley Tanner / Alabama Athletics
Felicia Knox / Alabama Athletics
Gianna Paul / Alabama Athletics
Riley Mattingly Parker / Alabama Athletics
Marianna Annest / Alabama Athletics
Aislin Streicek / Alabama Athletics
Sasha Pickard / Alabama Athletics
Alabama soccer goalie McKinley Crone / Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
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Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports. 

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