No. 19 Alabama Soccer's Road Struggles Continue in Loss to Texas A&M

Sunday night's match against Texas A&M did not provide the answer to Alabama soccer's struggles on the road.
No. 19 Alabama Soccer's Road Struggles Continue in Loss to Texas A&M
No. 19 Alabama Soccer's Road Struggles Continue in Loss to Texas A&M /

In the Alabama soccer team's role of defending SEC champion this season, there hasn't yet been much success on the road. That streak continued on Sunday in College Station when the Crimson Tide dropped its third straight road match 3-1 against Texas A&M. True road matches had been kind to No. 19 Alabama (8-3-4) in the early stages of the season, and all throughout last fall, but that run has since fallen on hard times.

The Crimson Tide is now just 2-3-1 in SEC play, one season removed from running the table and posting a perfect 10-0 regular season mark in the conference.

Two of the three losses have come in matches that were scoreless in the opening 45 minutes. The first was on Sept. 29 against Kentucky. The second was on Sunday. The teams were close to dead even in the first half. Alabama had more set piece opportunities in the half, but a common theme this year has been problems converting in that area when it seemed to come almost easily in 2022. 

Alabama drew first blood when sophomore forward Gianna Paul found the back of the net in the 53rd minute, ending a scoring drought that stretched back to Sept. 17 against Mercer, when she nabbed her last goal prior to Sunday's action. Texas A&M goalkeeper Kenna Caldwell realized what was about to happen when Paul found space, and failed to stop it. 

That was only the beginning of the offensive surge that defined the period between minutes 50 and 60 in the match. 

"Great to see Gianna with a goal tonight," Alabama head coach Wes Hart said. "She's been close the last few games. One off the post vs. Vanderbilt [and] another off the post vs. Kentucky. Nice to see her finish one tonight." Paul is now up to eight goals on the season.

Seconds into the 55th minute, before the Crimson Tide's goal had even sunk in, the Aggies responded in kind with an absolute missile from Taylor Pounds, booted from well outside the penalty area. Alabama keeper Dylan Pixton, starting her second matchup in a row for the first time, was in the process of getting back in front of the net as the ball sailed over her outstretched arms. Alabama defender Brooke Steere had just tried clearing the ball, only for it to meet Pounds' cleat. 

Less than two minutes later, the Aggies had scored again. Maile Hayes forced Crimson Tide forward Leah Kunde to turn it over, then maneuvered through the Alabama back line and fired a pass to teammate Mia Pante on the outside. Pante finished it, this time from just inside the box.

None of the Aggie goals were cheap, and neither was the third that put the nail in the coffin with eight minutes to play. Jazmine Wilkinson scored from outside the box in the 83rd minute, assisted by Sydney Becerra, who had just fielded a Wilkinson pass shortly after a Crimson Tide turnover. Alabama has just two goals in three conference road contests in 2023. Texas A&M exceeded that total in one night.

"We came out flat, and they played like a team desperate to win," said Hart, who thought his team disappointed in the second half. "I hoped [our goal] would get us going." Instead, the Aggies stole the momentum, and in front of more than 2,000 fans, stayed the course for a ranked win. That win also pushed Texas A&M (7-5-2) above Alabama in the conference standings, since both teams had the same league record entering play Sunday.

"Texas A&M has a great environment," Hart said. "One of the better environments in the SEC and in the country. Tough place to play."

The next matchup on the docket for the Crimson Tide isn't on the road. Rather, Alabama will face LSU in Tuscaloosa, which it shut out 5-0 in Baton Rouge last season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on Oct. 13.

See Also:

Riley Tanner: Alabama Alumna's Journey to World Cup a Dream Come True


Published
Will Miller
WILL MILLER

'Will Miller is the baseball writer for BamaCentral/Alabama Crimson Tide On SI. He also covers football and basketball and graduated from the University of Alabama in December 2024 with experience covering a wide array of sports.'