Former Alabama Soccer Standout Faces U.S. Women’s National Team This Weekend
9/14/2016 3:23:00 PM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Former Alabama soccer standout Merel van Dongen (2012-14) plays for the Netherlands National Team, and they are set to take on the U.S. National Team in an international friendly match at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m. CT.
The skilled defender has played in 10 international contests, and she has participated in three World Cup matches for the Dutch National Team facing China, Canada and Japan. Van Dongen has logged 207 minutes in World Cup play.
After Alabama soccer's 2014 season ended, van Dongen inked a professional contract with Ajax, which is an Amsterdam Football Club team. In 2015-16, she made 21 appearances, scored three goals and played a total of 1,811 minutes for a team that finished with an overall 17-2-5 record. Van Dongen has made one appearance for a total of 90 minutes so far in the 2016-17 season.
In van Dongen's two years at Alabama she managed to become the Tide's single season assists leader registering 10 in 2014. She is No. 1 on Alabama's career assists per game list with 0.30 through 44 games, and her 10 assists in 2014 allowed her to take the No. 1 spot on the single season assists per game list with 0.53 through 19 games. Van Dongen converted four penalty kicks during her career with Alabama, which ranks fourth on the career penalty kicks made list.
Fans can purchase tickets to the Netherlands vs. U.S. Women's National Team at all Atlanta area Ticketmaster outlets (including Walmart stores) and the Georgia Dome ticket office (open Monday-Friday, 9a.m.-5 p.m. Those that can't make it to the Georgia Dome for the match can watch it on television on the FS1 channel, after watching the Alabama vs. Kentucky match on the SEC Network at 4 p.m. CT. Sunday fans can enjoy a doubleheader of Alabama soccer on television!
The Tide will be back in action on Sunday, Sept. 18, when it travels to Lexington, Ky., to continue Southeastern Conference play taking on Kentucky in a match that broadcasts on the SEC Network at 4 p.m. CT.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaSoccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
