No. 12 Alabama Soccer Level with No. 3 North Carolina in 1-1 Draw
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Sunday night's Alabama soccer match had all the makings of one of the biggest home matchups in the history of the Crimson Tide program. The white script A returned to midfield. The game ball was parachuted onto the field as part of Bama Salute. A crowd consisting of strong support for both teams packed the bleachers of the Alabama Soccer Stadium. The energy was, in a word, immense. After all, these were two of last season's four teams to make the College Cup. They didn't meet last December, but the 2023 slate rectified that.
On one side? The legendary powder blue of No. 3 North Carolina, one of women's college soccer's titanic programs. It dotted the field and the stands. On the other was a color which is the favorite of many in west Alabama, the crimson of a program so rapidly on the rise that it can no longer be written off, not even by the likes of a program that has won 21 NCAA titles in its storied history.
The two squads battled to a 1-1 draw in the type of contest that has become a hallmark for the No. 12 Crimson Tide (5-0-3): a gritty match which, like any contest, has its ebbs and flows. Nothing came easy for either side. Neither wanted to give an inch.
"I loved the effort our girls played with," Alabama head coach Wes Hart said. "Our goal going into this was, win or lose, we're gonna do it being us. And you saw us pressing, working hard, and being tenacious, and they didn't like that. I think they walked in thinking that we're supposed to bow down to them just because they're North Carolina, and that's not who we are."
The first half began with the Crimson Tide being forced onto the defensive in the early minutes. The Tar Heels' attack came to play, not to wait around. After close to 20 minutes of aggression, Alabama began to put together consistent stretches with possession of the ball and force the issue with the North Carolina back line. 47th-year Tar Heels coach Anson Dorrance was disappointed with his team's showing in the first 45 minutes of the match, labeling it "incredibly poor."
"We knew they had a good team, so we wanted to play them," Dorrance said. "We want to continue trying to play teams like them on our schedule on a regular basis. Now, Wes [Hart] will eventually have the pleasure of playing in Chapel Hill. We look forward to that match as well. It was certainly a great game for the neutral, certainly for the spectator, and I thought there were so many good moments in that game that are maturing the kids on our roster. We thought this was really good for our development. We hope it was the same for Wes and his team." He added that he couldn't put his finger on the reason why his team eased up on the pedal midway through the first frame.
Following multiple Alabama shots, the Tar Heels got it back together on the offensive side in the waning moments of the half. North Carolina (5-0-3) strung together three consecutive corner kicks, followed by a parting shot with seconds on the clock that was saved by Crimson Tide goalkeeper Coralie Lallier.
Sunday's match was a star-making day for Lallier, thrust into the lights as a true freshman against one of the preeminent forces at this level of the sport. She didn't give up a goal until the 59th minute and logged six saves. Ever humble, the Quebec native flashed a grateful smile when teammate Gianna Paul praised her performance.
"Playing against a great opponent like UNC, of course we wanted to win," Lallier said. "But we gave our all, and that's what matters."
The North Carolina goal came when Avery Patterson got one behind a diving Lallier. The Tar Heel contingent in attendance was delighted. For the players, it was an important moment, taking the momentum back and reestablishing the attack.
"She's a lethal finisher," Dorrance said. "We try to train all of our kids, like I'm sure Wes does with his, to shoot low and across the frame, and she does it as a matter of habit. We wanna form good habits with our finishers, and she's a marvelous finisher."
Alabama's now 24-match home unbeaten streak, which faced perhaps its greatest regular-season threat on Sunday night, was in major jeopardy. The offense had steadily improved throughout the evening, but it wasn't until the 79th minute that it paid off. Paul played a ball from Marianna Annest all the way to the net. Her first attempt was stopped by keeper Emmie Allen. Allen gave her position up to make the play, and nobody backed her up. Paul stayed with the ball and notched her fifth goal of the campaign.
"I was seeing the goal. That's all I was seeing," she said. "Mari [Annest] played the ball down the line, and I saw empty space. Obviously, I ran towards it. My first touch, I think, went straight to the goalie, but I was literally determined to get that in the net. I think I would've died before I didn't get that in the net."
"GP did what GP does," Hart said. "She blew by her defender, and I loved her stick-to-it-ness. She could've easily, that's not GP, but given up on the play. The goalie made a nice save and she was able to put the next one in." Hart also credited Lallier's recognition of the fact that many of the Crimson Tide's goal kicks had gone long. The goal kick that led to the score went short, to Annest.
"The only thing that was going through my head was, 'Please, can we score?' And then G put that ball in, and I was like, 'Okay, now we need no goals [allowed],'" Lallier said.
Moments after the Alabama score, both benches drew yellow cards. It was a culmination of a high-energy match with a lot of emotion. Both teams had positives and frustrations alike on Sunday. Feelings originating in the latter category manifested themselves briefly in the 81st minute.
"We took an aggressive approach to the game," Hart said. "We're either gonna win or lose, but we're gonna do it on our terms... I'm a competitor. I'm feisty. That's just kind of who I am. I'm fiery like that, but I've gotten over it."
The Crimson Tide kept up its attack, failing to score again but catching the Tar Heels in bad positions. Hart lamented that his team did not add a second goal despite being the match's principal aggressors in the final minutes.
Conference play has arrived, and that's the direction Alabama is going after Sunday's draw. Georgia is batting first in the lineup, with the Bulldogs making a return to the Alabama Soccer Stadium for the first time since 2016. A lot has changed. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Sept. 14.
See Also:
Riley Tanner: Alabama Alumna's Journey to World Cup a Dream Come True
