Alabama
7-2-0, 0-0-0
Louisiana Tech
2-3-3, 0-0-0
Alabama Downs Louisiana Tech with a Commanding 4-0 Win
9/13/2024 10:45:00 PM | Soccer
The Crimson Tide dominated the offensive side of the ball, outshooting the Bulldogs 40-2 in the victory
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama soccer team (7-2) downed Louisiana Tech (2-3-3) 4-0 in a rainy, Friday night match at the Alabama Soccer Stadium.
The Crimson Tide held a 1-0 lead heading into the half after Melina Rebimbas tallied her first goal of the season and first in a Crimson Tide uniform. Back-to-back goals in the second half from Gianna Paul and Madeline Padelski, respectively, gave UA a 3-0 lead before Nedya Sawan fired a shot into the back of the net for the fourth and final goal of the night.
From Head Coach Wes Hart
"What a wonderful first half it was, and they (team) did exactly what we wanted, but it was only 1-0. We've all been around soccer long enough to know that the game can change like that. So, our challenge in the second half was, let's don't just hang on to this lead. Let's don't try to just milk the clock. Let's keep going, and we did just that. I think 16 shots in one half is a lot. Second half, we had 24 shots. We looked like a team that was hungry and aggressive tonight, and that's exactly what we needed from the team."
Game Notes
- Rebimbas notched the game-winning goal in the 33rd minute of the match after receiving a ball outside the box and dribbling through traffic towards the net
- Despite the Tide dominating the stats, including a 16-1 advantage in the half in shots, UA would hold just a 1-0 lead after 45 minutes
- The Tide notched its second goal of the game in the 55th minute after Leah Kunde crossed a ball to Paul, who's initial shot was saved
- The rebounded shot bounced back towards the six-yard box as Paul lunged for her seventh goal of the season
- Just over a minute later, Sydney Japic won a ball out of the air, heading it back towards goal and onto the feet of Kiley Kukan
- Kukan took a touch before finding an unmarked Padelski running towards net
- The goal marked the second of the year for Padelski as she struck her shot low and into the right corner of the goal
- Kennedy Garcia worked her way through the top of the box, before finding Sawan alone on the left side of the net, setting the senior up for the final goal of the night in the 87th minute
- Overall, the Tide tallied 40 shots in the game, the fifth-highest shot accumulation in program history
- Paul paced the Tide with nine shots in the match, moving her to third all-time in program history in single game shots and sixth all-time in career shots with 162 over her three years
- Ellie Lanyi notched her second shutout of the season, as the Crimson Tide defense limited the Bulldogs to just one shot on target and two total shots in the match
- Louisiana Tech's Sarah Melen made 11 stops in the performance
Next
- The match concluded the non-conference schedule for the Crimson Tide as the team readies for its Southeastern Conference opener against Texas
- The match is schedule for a 7 p.m. CT kick off in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 19
-UA-
Team Stats
Melina Rebimbas (1)
Assisted By: Isabel Smith
GOAL by UA Rebimbas, Melina Assist by Smith, Isabel.
32:26
Gianna Paul (7)
GOAL by UA Paul, Gianna.
54:01
Madeline Padelski (2)
Assisted By: Kiley Kukan , Sydney Japic
GOAL by UA Padelski, Madeline Assist by Kukan, Kiley and Japic, Sydney.
55:32
Nedya Sawan (2)
Assisted By: Kennedy Garcia
GOAL by UA Sawan, Nedya Assist by Garcia, Kennedy.
86:57
