Alabama Loses at South Carolina 2-0

Sunday, September 25

Columbia, S.C.

1:00 p.m

Alabama

6-2-1, 0-1-1SEC

South Carolina

5-4, 1-1SEC

South Carolina

Alabama Loses at South Carolina 2-0

9/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Soccer

Box Score

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Hayley MacDonald

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Alabama (6-2-1, 0-1-1) soccer lost for the just the second time this season, and for the first time on the road, Sunday afternoon to South Carolina, 2-0.

Alex Mouton scored both USC goals in the win. A sliding Mouton put USC ahead 1-0 when she one-timed a cross fired by Courtney Cobbs into the net. The goal came on USC's 11th shot of the day. Mouton then iced the win with her second goal of the game at 84:16.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the outcome," Alabama head coach Don Staley said. "It's one step forward and two steps back. I give a lot of credit to South Carolina for being relentless on offense but we made some mistakes too."

USC kept Alabama off the board and became the first team to shut the nation's No. 2 offense out this season. USC managed two corner kicks in the game's first 8:00 and almost converted the second corner kick into a goal, but the Tide's Cara Kelly, making her first career start, headed the ball away from the net. Kelly prevented another possible USC goal minutes later when she stepped in front of Darcel Mollon who was waiting on a cross just in front of the net.

Alabama's scoring chances in the game were numbered and the Tide struggled to mount much of an offensive attack, especially in the opening half. The Tide only managed to get off two shots in the first 45:00 of play and just eight shots in the game.

"People may talk about the injuries that we've had, but injuries are no excuse," Staley said. "We have 25 people on our roster and those people have to step up. Today they didn't."

Libby Probst almost gave the Tide an early lead 10:00 in when Hayley MacDonald flicked the ball to Susie Beard who found Probst on a cut towards the net, but Probst's shot went just left of the net. Probst's second shot lead to an Alabama corner kick but the Tide failed to convert.

In the second half Probst narrowly missed tying the game, but USC goalkeeper Lindsay Thorstenson dove and deflected her shot right of the goal.

Alabama played solid defense for much of the game and kept an attacking USC club off the board for 55:26. At 54:30 Alabama's Chelsea Stang came up with a huge block of a Courtney Cobbs shot from point-blank range. It was the second time that an Alabama defender kept the ball out of the net in the game. However, Just :55 later, Mouton put the Gamecocks up 1-0.

"Not to take anything away from South Carolina, but to come away from this weekend with just one point is very disappointing."

Alabama will play its first home SEC home games next weekend facing he Kentucky Wildcats Friday night at 7 p.m. followed by Vanderbilt Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission is free.