Alabama
7-7-2, 1-6-2
Georgia
11-4-2, 5-3-1
Georgia Downs Alabama Soccer 2-0
10/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
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Box Score
ATHENS, GA. - The Alabama soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision Friday night on the road the Georgia Bulldogs. UGA's Ali Williams scored two goals on the night to lift the Bulldogs to victory.
Williams iced the win for UGA in the final 2:00 of play when she raced down the field and snuck a shot past Natalie Kohn, a defender who had been inserted into the game for Kara Gudmens at goalkeeper to give the Crimson Tide an extra man and a better shot at mounting an attack in the closing minutes.
The loss drops Alabama to 7-7-2 overall, 1-6-2 in the SEC and keeps the Tide fighting for the final SEC tournament berth.
"I can't question the heart and fight of our kids tonight," Alabama head coach Don Staley said. "The score isn't indicative of how tight this game was. This was a ballgame."
Alabama was in the game right to the end despite being out-shot 23-9. In the second half Alabama had its best scoring opportunity from a corner kick that produced two shots. Colleen Posey headed a shot that was blocked by a UGA defender. The deflection however, went straight to the Tide's Susie Beard who clanked a shot off the right post. That seemed to sum up the night for Alabama.
The Tide had chances to score in the first half as well but just couldn't get it between the pipes. Alabama missed on a pair of scoring opportunities in the first half. The first came at 23:05 when it put together a nice string of pass that saw Susie Beard connect with Libby Probst 10-yards in front of the net. Probst managed to get off a shot but UGA goalkeeper Lauren Church deflected the shot wide right. Alabama did get a corner kick out of the shot. Jessie Deegan's corner found Cally Morrill, but the ball was cleared by a UGA defender.
In the final minute of the opening half, Leigh Alexander gained control of the ball after a UGA midfielder let it slip through her legs. Alexander dribbled to the top of the box and fired a shot that went wide left.
After several near misses from Georgia strikers in the first half, Williams put the Bulldogs up 1-0 midway through the first half. Cortni Joyner passed the ball through the middle of the field to Williams on a one-on-one breakaway. Alabama's Gudmens attempted to meet Williams 15 yards out to make the save, but Williams beat Gudmens to the left side for her 11th goal of the season.
Gudmens did make a number of other saves however, to keep Alabama in the game. In 5th minute of play, Gudmens tipped a header from Megan Tomlinson over the net. She also punched away three corner kicks in the first 8:00 of the game. Joyner also missed a wide open net after one-timing a Whitaker rebound that hit the post.
The Tide will play its final two matches of the season at home beginning with Sunday's match against Tennessee set to begin at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
WILLIAMS, Ali (11)
Assisted By: BRUSO, Randi-Lynn
Streaking down middle of the field and t
32:09
WILLIAMS, Ali (12)
Assisted By: WHITAKER, Kelly
All by herself from midfield on
87:21
