Soccer Remains Undefeated on the Road, Blanking Missouri, 1-0

Sunday, October 19

Columbia, Mo.

1:00 p.m

Alabama

9-4-3, 4-2-2SEC

Missouri

10-4-2, 5-3-0SEC

Alabama

Missouri

Soccer Remains Undefeated on the Road, Blanking Missouri, 1-0

10/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 19, 2014

Final Stats

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Alabama soccer team remained undefeated on the road this season, taking down Missouri, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Audrey J. Walton Soccer Stadium. The Tide handed the Tigers their first home loss of the season thanks to Laura Lee Smith's goal in the 84^th minute.

"We deserved the win," said head coach Todd Bramble. "We really fought defensively, and we were good throughout the course of the game. We created three or four clear-cut goal-scoring chances, and Laura Lee did a great job finishing her breakaway. It was another really solid performance on the road over a good team. I think the players deserve a lot of credit."

The game was near even all day, but Alabama was able to hang a zero on Missouri thanks to stellar defensive play, earning the Tide its eighth shutout of the season. Emily Rusk recorded seven saves for the day, earning her sixth of the season and tying her for third all-time in season shutouts. Combined, the junior keeper saved 15 for the weekend to earn back-to-back shutouts in SEC play for the second time this season.

Alabama produced the game's lone goal at the 83:42 mark when Laura Lee Smith broke the tie on her seventh shot of the day, banging home a goal past a diving keeper. Senior Theresa Diederich found Smith streaking past the Tiger defense and recorded her fifth assist of the season. The goal was Smith's team-leading sixth of the season and ties her with Diederich for the team lead in points at 15.

"I think we have a really balanced attack," Bramble added. "We can attack in a variety of ways. We've proven to be a dangerous team on the counter attack, which is how we won the game today."

The Tide accumulated 17 shots, eight on goal, to move the team total to 289 shots and 129 on-goal for the season. The 289 shots ranks eighth all-time while the 129 shots on ranks sixth all-time in Alabama annals. Alabama is averaging 18.06 shots per game and is on pace for 343 total for the season.

After the trip to Columbia, Alabama sits at 9-4-3, with a 4-2-2 SEC record, and remains undefeated away from home this season. Missouri falls to 10-4-2, 5-3 in the SEC, and suffers its first home loss of 2014.

Following tonight's match, Alabama will return to Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 24, to face off with Georgia in the final home match of the regular season at the Alabama Soccer Complex. The game can be seen on SECN+. The Tide and Bulldogs last met on Oct. 4, 2013, with Alabama earning the 3-2 overtime win in Athens.

Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaSoccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.