Alabama Soccer Shut Out by Arkansas in First Regular Season Loss Since 2022
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The Alabama soccer team’s unbeaten run is no more.
For the first time since August of 2022, the No. 9 Crimson Tide (6-1-4) has lost a regular season matchup. A 5-0 shutout against Arkansas in Fayetteville also brought an end to an unbeaten stretch in true road matches spanning the same period of time. Prior to Thursday’s contest, Alabama had allowed five goals in total through 10 matches.
Morgan White led the way for the No. 11 Razorbacks (6-2-1) with two goals, the third such occurrence of her season. Bea Franklin, Avery Wren and Anna Podojil scored Arkansas’ first three. After the halftime intermission, White, who had fought all evening to join her teammates’ impromptu scoring party, used her own two scores to take over the team lead in goals (six). Foes of Arkansas are well aware that when facing the Razorbacks, Podojil is always right there in the picture. Her goal in the match was the 48th of her decorated career. Alabama neutralized her last season. The Crimson Tide wasn't so lucky on Thursday.
Alabama is now winless in SEC play through two showings (0-1-1). The defending conference regular season champion took a close one from the Razorbacks in October of 2022 as one of its best wins last fall. That meant, in the battle between the two previous regular season champs, that Arkansas had this one circled on its calendar. Another similarity shared between the squads is that the Razorbacks had a home unbeaten streak in excess of 20, just as Alabama does. Arkansas’ streak is now 27. Suffice it to say that the home team did justice to the anticipation it had for Thursday night.
"We didn't compete tonight. That's the first time in a long time I can say that," Alabama head coach Wes Hart said. "They [Arkansas] are so good at starting games fast and aggressive. They got an early goal and fed off of that. They outcompeted us tonight and were better in every facet of the game."
Franklin raced past the Crimson Tide back line and put the first one in the back of the net in the fourth minute. Podojil sent her a perfect pass. Franklin just had to finish. Before Alabama could really mount a sustained recovery, Wren capitalized on a flustered defense. Franklin tripped and fell, but Wren was behind her and sent the ball behind Alabama goalkeeper Coralie Lallier from long range. Before 10 minutes had passed, the Razorbacks’ offensive tandem put its stamp on the match. In a span of just over 15 minutes in the second stanza, White’s brace closed the door on a crimson comeback.
"I want this result to sting for a bit," Hart said, adding that he wants his team to move on and not spend too much time dwelling on this outcome.
Sophomore Gianna Paul tried making something out of early looks for the Crimson Tide, not finding success against debuting Arkansas keeper Phoebe Carver. If it was a tall order for Carver to make her season debut against a top-10 team in league play, she didn’t show it, closing the night with five saves. In a development that could stretch far beyond a singular match, Paul, the scoring star of this team and reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, rolled her ankle in the second half. Her attempts at walking it off were unsuccessful.
She exited the pitch and spent the remainder of the contest with ice wrapped around her foot. She will be evaluated upon the team's return to Tuscaloosa.
Other players were powerless to break down the wall Carver created. Itala Gemelli took three shots, the second-most by an Alabama player. Defender Bella Scaturro Bright was one of a pair of players with two shots. Even the Crimson Tide back line couldn’t spark the attack on a night that was rough on both sides of the ball. Thursday was by far the worst night of Lallier’s young career. The freshman had been almost impervious despite her youth in prior matches.
"We had no plans to sub Coralie," said Hart. "Those goals were not her fault."
As the match progressed, Alabama’s discipline began to lapse, giving way to obvious frustrations. The Crimson Tide collected five yellow cards in the final 45 minutes. The foul numbers were comparable: 11 for Alabama and 10 for Arkansas. The difference was in the offensive output. The Razorbacks had 23 shots, well out in front of the Crimson Tide’s 15. 11 were on goal.
In its bid to regroup, the Crimson Tide returns to its own home to defend its home unbeaten streak. Another hungry foe awaits. This time, it’s Vanderbilt, which Alabama played and defeated twice in 2022. The second time around, during the SEC Tournament, a controversial late foul resulted in the Crimson Tide advancing and the Commodores being left with their heads steaming. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Sunday.
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