Alabama
Kentucky
Alabama Soccer Travels to Face Kentucky Sunday Afternoon on SEC Network
9/17/2016 9:03:00 AM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama soccer team will continue Southeastern Conference play on Sunday, when it travels to Lexington, Ky., to take on the Kentucky Wildcats at the Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex at 4 p.m. CT. Sunday's match will broadcast on the SEC Network, and it marks the sixth consecutive road match for the Crimson Tide. Â
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Radio: N/A
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Twitter: @Alabama Soccer
MAINTAINING STRONG START
In the first two weekends of play, Alabama registered wins over Sam Houston State, 5-0, Murray State, 4-2, Campbell, 4-0 and Chattanooga, 1-0, registering a 4-0 record to begin the season. During the third weekend of play, the Crimson Tide was topped by No. 20 USF, 1-0, before it went on to shutout Florida Gulf Coast, 1-0, to improve to an overall 5-1 record. The 1-0 shutout over FGCU marks the fourth shutout of the season, which is the most shutouts through the first six games of a campaign since the 2012 season. Last weekend, Alabama topped the Tennessee Volunteers, 5-1, in Knoxville, Tenn., to begin Southeastern Conference play. The win over Tennessee marks the first SEC road opener victory since the 2014 season, when the Tide defeated Tennessee in a 1-0 decision that went into double-overtime. Moreover, Alabama's win over the Volunteers was also significant in the fact that it marks the largest margin of victory in an SEC opener in program history. It's also the second largest margin of victory over an SEC opponent in program history, behind the 5-0 win over LSU in the 1997 season. With the Tennessee victory, Alabama improved to an overall 6-1 record marking the best start since the 2005 season. This Tuesday the Tide lost to the Samford Bulldogs, 1-0, falling to an overall 6-2 record. If Alabama wins on Sunday it will mark the first time the Tide has defeated an SEC opponent in back-to-back matches since the 2014 season. Additionally, it will mark the first time since the 2004 season that Alabama has defeated a conference opponent in back-to-back road matches. Moreover, it would also mark the first time the Tide has started conference play 2-0 since the 2010 season.
TEAM & INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL ATTENTION
Alabama's strong start to the 2016 season has earned national attention, as the team is ranked in the top-50 in many different major categories. The offense in particular has earned national notoriety, as it is ranked the No. 26 in scoring offense in the nation averaging 2.50 goals per game. Alabama's 20 goals this season ranks No. 18 in the NCAA, while the Tide is ranked No. 37 in points per game averaging 6.88. In regards to winning percentage, the Tide is ranked No. 45 with a 0.750 percentage. The offensive regime is also ranked No. 24 in the nation in total points with 56, and it is No. 31 in total assists accumulating 16 on the season. Defensively, Alabama is ranked No. 44 in shutout percentage with an impressive 0.500 percentage.
The Tide has four individuals who have also earned national attention with their performances thus far this season. Junior Lacey Clarida is tied for seventh in the NCAA in game-winning goals with three. Sophomores Abbie Boswell and Emma Welch are tied for No. 15 in the country in total assists with five, and they are also tied for No. 30 in assists per game averaging 0.63. Clarida is No. 20 in total goals with six, and she and Boswell are tied for No. 31 in total points with 13 so far this season. In shots on goal per game, Clarida is No. 35 averaging 2.17. Junior goalkeeper Kat Stratton is nationally ranked in two categories between the posts. Stratton is tied for No. 31 in shutouts with three this year, and she is No. 50 in goals against average with a slim 0.656 average.
LEADING THE SEC
Alabama ranks in the top five in eight major offensive categories in the Southeastern Conference. The Tide leads in shutouts and shots with four and 160, respectively. The Alabama defense is third in goals allowed with four. The Tide is fourth in goals (20), points (56), goals per game (2.50) and its third in goals against average (0.62). The high octane offense has tallied 16 total assists this year, which ranks fifth in the SEC.
Individually, the Tide has student-athletes that are ranked in the top-five in seven different categories. Welch and Boswell are tied for fourth in total assists and assists per game with five and 0.62, respectively. Clarida is runner-up in game-winning goals with three. Defensively, Stratton is ranked in the top-five in four different sections. The gifted goalkeeper is runner-up in save percentage (0.848), shutouts (3), fourth in shutouts per game (0.38) and she is fourth in goals against average (0.65).
UNDER HEAD COACH WES HART
The Crimson Tide is in its second year under the helm of Wes Hart. Hart's inaugural season had a major focus on transition and the future of the program. Highlights from his inaugural season included Hart's first win as a head coach that came in the home opener against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), handing Wake Forest its first shutout of the year (Aug. 28, 2015), giving LSU its first loss of the season (Sept. 11, 2015) in the 3-2 double overtime comeback win and a hard fought double overtime win at Georgia (Oct. 16, 2016), which marked Hart's first road win.
Home game attendance increased significantly in Hart's first season, as the Tide drew over 719 fans per game – the largest average since the 2012 season. The Alabama Soccer Complex saw a crowd of 1,575 for its first game against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), the second-highest single-game home attendance in program history. Fans then answered the call to keep attendance in the quadruple digits later that week against Wake Forest (Aug. 28, 2015), when 1,007 fans packed the Soccer Complex.
The 5-0 victory against Sam Houston State marks Hart's first win in a season opener with the Tide. So far in Hart's second campaign, the Tide has outshot its opponents by an impressive 160-75 margin and it has compiled 20 goals compared to the opponents five. Alabama has tallied 16 assists limiting its opponents to three, and it has picked up 56 total points while holding its opponents to just 13 points. The Tide also dominates the corner kick category, where it has a substantial lead on the opposition, 50-16. With the shutout against Florida Gulf Coast, Hart has registered ten shutouts since he arrived to Tuscaloosa. Last weekend, Alabama topped the Tennessee Volunteers, 5-1, in Knoxville, Tenn., to begin Southeastern Conference play. The 5-1 decisive victory over Tennessee marks the largest recorded win over an SEC opponent in program history. With the win over Tennessee, Alabama improved to an overall 6-1 record marking the best start since the 2005 campaign (6-1). The victory also marks the first SEC road opener victory since the 2014 season, when the Tide defeated Tennessee in a 1-0 decision that went into double-overtime. Moreover, Alabama's win over the Volunteers was also significant in the fact that it marks the largest margin of victory in an SEC opener in program history. It's also the second largest margin of victory over an SEC opponent in program history, behind the 5-0 win over LSU in the 1997 season.
CHATHAM DePROSPO'S HAT TRICK
Junior midfielder Chatham DeProspo was named the ESPNW National Player of the Week, as announced by ESPN Thursday. DeProspo registered a first half hat trick against SEC foe Tennessee last weekend to help lift the Crimson Tide to a 5-1 victory over the Volunteers. Earlier this week, DeProspo was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week because of her performance against Tennessee. She is also the first Alabama soccer player to earn ESPNW Soccer Player of the Week, and the first to early weekly conference accolades since the 2014 season, when goalkeeper Emily Rusk was recognized by the league office. The explosive midfielder recorded her three goals in just over half an hour.
"Winning an award like this doesn't happen without the support of your teammates, coaches and wonderful staff at Alabama," said Chatham DeProspo. "Every player on our roster is a big part of the award. I want to thank them and my incredible family for always believing in me. This is truly a great honor and it is very humbling. Big thanks to ESPNW for recognizing women's athletics!"
MEREL VAN DONGEN
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 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.
SERIES HISTORY – KENTUCKY
Alabama and Kentucky will meet for the 20th time on Sunday in a series that dates back to 1994. The Tide trails 5-13-1 in the series. Last year, Alabama lost to Kentucky in a 1-0 decision in Tuscaloosa. The Tide has posted a 2-7 record when playing the Wildcats in Lexington. The last time Alabama defeated Kentucky was in the 2012 season, when the Tide outlasted the Wildcats in a 2-1 decision that went into overtime in Lexington. Kentucky enters Sunday's match with an overall 4-3-1 record.
COMING UP
After Sunday's match, the Tide will return to Tuscaloosa to take on Arkansas at the Alabama Soccer Complex on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. CT. Alabama will remain home after its match against Arkansas, as it is set to take on Texas A&M on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 6 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.
