Alabama Soccer's Reyna Reyes Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week

Friday night, the junior midfielder scored the go-ahead goal in the 84th minute as the Crimson Tide went on to defeat No. 24 LSU.

Alabama athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama soccer received its first individual accolade of the season today when the SEC announced junior Reyna Reyes as the Co-Offensive Player of the Week.

Reyes, who missed two games and returned to campus after training with the Mexico National Team in preparation for its World Cup qualifiers, scored the go-ahead goal against LSU Friday night. 

In the 84th minute, she met a cross and scored via header to give the Crimson Tide its first win this season to a ranked opponent. It was Reyes' second goal of the season. Registering two shots in the game, her first attempt hit off the crossbar. 

First scoring in Alabama's 4-0 season-opening win to Jacksonville State, the midfielder ranks second on the team in both goals and points, with three assists to top her two-goal season thus far. 

What the Reyes-saving LSU win meant for the Crimson Tide soccer program, however, was significant in that, prior to Friday, its last defeat of a ranked team was to No. 15 Auburn on November 6, 2020. 

The win was the fourth consecutive at home and seventh overall for Alabama this season.

As for Reyes, though, she's the team's co-leader in shots on goal, one of the reasons why the junior was selected to the SEC Preseason Watch List by coaches within the conference.

The Garland, Texas, native recorded the game-winning goal in back-to-back games against Montevallo and Lipscomb in 2020-21. 

A year earlier, as a freshman in 2019-20, the Mexican national was named to the SEC All-Conference First Team after scoring three goals and tallying one assist in her initial campaign for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama soccer returns to action this Thursday at Arkansas. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. CT.