Alabama Soccer Finishes Second at Governor?s Cup
4/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The Alabama soccer team (7-3-3) wrapped up its spring competition season this weekend by finishing second in the Governor’s Cup in Birmingham. The Crimson Tide posted a 1-1-2 record in the tournament, which featured four 30-mintute games, and won a rematch with Auburn in the process.
Kailey Corken scored the first of two goals on the day to help lift Alabama to a 1-0 victory over the Tigers. Alex Butera and Jordan O’Banion were credited with assists. In the finals, Alabama lost a tough battle with Samford 2-1. O’Banion claimed her third point of the day when she found the back of the net off a pass from Jessie Deegan.
“The weekend was a good performance for us,” Alabama head coach Don Staley said. “From a coaches’ standpoint, I think we saw exactly what were looking for. Overall, the entire spring season was very good and we got what we wanted out of our personnel.”
In preliminary games Alabama played both Birmingham-Southern and Alabama A&M to ties. Corken earned her second goal of the day when she scored for the Tide in a 1-1 draw against Alabama A&M.
Alabama’s goalkeepers, Kara Gudmens, Karen Lansden and Brittni Lally, all had another stellar performance. The trio only allowed three goals in four games and finished the spring with a .42 GAA.
Staley also lauded the performances of several Tide players following this weekend’s action.
“I thought Jordan (O’Banion) had her best performance of the spring,” Staley said. “Chelsea Stang showed tremendous communication in the back for us, as did Colleen Posey, and we’re going to depend on them a lot. Callie Pike showed up and really brought a tough game as well.”
The 2006 season is scheduled to begin on Aug. 25 when it opens the season in Nashville against the Denver Pioneers.
