Tide Soccer Opens Home Season with Shutout

Sunday, September 1

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1:00 p.m

Alabama

2-0

Louisiana-Monroe

0-1

Louisiana-Monroe

Alabama

Tide Soccer Opens Home Season with Shutout

9/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Soccer

Box Score

Sunday, September 01, 2002

Dawn Nash

» Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, AL—After nearly a half of scoreless soccer, the University of Alabama women's soccer team (2-0) broke through with a goal and never looked back en route to a 4-0 victory over the Louisiana-Monroe Lady Indians (0-1).

Both teams went scoreless for the first 44:15 until freshman Kylie Boyd sent a ball through the ULM defense that Dawn Nash took and put in the back of the net for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 Alabama lead. The assist from Boyd was her first collegiate assist and point.

The Tide had several more opportunities in the first half to score, but they were negated by five offside calls.

"Dawn's (Nash) goal was a beautiful goal the way she pushed it. We worked on that during preseason and she worked it to perfection," said Alabama Head Coach Don Staley. "If there was one thing I wish we'd have done a better job of it would have been recognizing what (ULM) were trying to play."

The Tide found the going rough in the second half as well as ULM forced them into six more offside calls but the Bama was able to penetrate the Lady Indian defense for three second half goals.

Nearly 11 and a half minutes into the second half, Jiselle Decker hit a hard liner that Monroe goalie Jessica Robinson was able to deflect, however Cally Morrill was there for the rebound and she put back for her second goal of the season and a 2-0 lead.

The Tide struck again at the 79:48 mark when Kim Zarzour sent a little chip-pass in front of the goal and Elizabeth Jannik punched it home for her first goal of the season.

Bama closed out the scoring in the 82nd minute when junior Lauren Imwalle got free on a break-away, dribbling close enough to the goal to draw Robinson towards her before dumping the ball off to Courtney McCotter who was able to finish for her first collegiate goal and the final 4-0 score. The assist from Imwalle, a defender, was the first assist and point of her collegiate career.

The Tide defense was solid all day holding ULM to just two shots in the first half and just four shots on goal the entire game.

The win improved Alabama's record in home-openers to 11-1 and stretched its home-opener winning streak to 11 games.

Alabama will take the next four days off from competition and return to action on Friday when the team hosts the Chattanooga Lady Mocs in a 7:00 p.m. game.