Alabama Soccer Edges South Alabama, 2-1, in Mobile

Friday, September 1

Mobile, Ala.

7:30 p.m. CT

Alabama

4-1

South Alabama

0-4

Alabama

South Alabama

Alabama Soccer Edges South Alabama, 2-1, in Mobile

9/1/2017 10:37:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score Box score (pdf)

Casey Wertz scores the first game-winner of her career

MOBILE, Ala. – Alabama women's soccer outlasted South Alabama, 2-1, on Friday night at The Cage in Mobile, Ala. After the first half ended in a deadlock, freshman Casey Wertz fired the game-winning goal in the 71st minute to put the Tide on top. Alabama (4-1) recorded its first road win of the season, as South Alabama (0-4) suffered its fourth consecutive loss of the year.

"I thought it was a great win for us tonight," head coach Wes Hart said. "We knew going into South Alabama that it was going to be a tough game. We knew that they were a talented group, even though they have struggled with results this year. We knew they had a ton of talent on their team and a ton of returning players that have had a ton of success over the past few years who have won a lot of games, and have gone to the NCAA Tournament."

"We knew this was going to be a difficult game," Hart continued. "We didn't help our cause by giving away the early penalty kick, but credit to the group for battling back and finding a way to get back in the game. South Alabama was a hard team to play against. It shows that our team has matured a lot and they have taken another step forward in being able to go to South Alabama and finding a way to win."

The Jaguars tallied the first goal of the match in the fourth minute, but Celia Jimenez Delgado responded with the equalizer, scoring her first goal of the season 13 minutes later. In the second half, Wertz notched the second goal of her career to secure the eighth win over the Jaguars in program history. Kat Stratton registered a season-high of eight saves, recording six in the first half.

South Alabama attacked early scoring off a penalty kick in the fourth minute for the early 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, Alabama tried to respond off a Jaguar foul, but USA's defense cleared away the Tide's scoring threat.

Then in the 17th minute, Alabama tied the game at one apiece thanks to a goal by Jimenez Delgado. Jimenez Delgado put the ball in play off a corner and ran back into scoring position to accept a cross from Hailey Brohaugh for the score. The Crimson Tide continued to pressure USA's defense earning five corners and delivering one more shot on goal, but nothing could connect to break the tie at the end of the half.

Chatham DeProspo opened the second stanza with two shots and one on frame, but the Jaguar keeper stopped the ball from crossing the goal line. In the 62nd minute, the Tide earned another chance to take the lead on a corner, but in similar fashion, USA's keeper stopped the play from developing.

Then in the 71st minute, Casey Wertz blasted the ball into the left side of the net off a throughball from Abbie Boswell to propel the Tide over the Jaguars. Taylor Morgan danced her way into the box and passed the ball to Boswell, who attracted two defenders which opened up Wertz for the score.

After USA's goal in the first four minutes, Stratton registered six saves to keep the game tied at the end of the half and shutout the Jaguars in the second stanza with two more saves for her fourth win of the season.

South Alabama edged the Tide in shots, 14-13, while the Tide earned seven corners to the Jaguars' five.

Alabama returns to the pitch on Sunday, Sept. 3 at noon CT to take on the Troy Trojans at The Cage in Mobile, Ala.

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