NCAA Women's collegiate soccer at Orange Beach

Tide tops Troy 2-1

By Michael Hanich
Posted 8/16/16

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Troy Trojans women’s soccer teams played an epic match in Orange Beach Sunday

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NCAA Women's collegiate soccer at Orange Beach

Tide tops Troy 2-1

Posted

ORANGE BEACH— The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Troy Trojans women’s soccer teams played an epic match in Orange Beach Sunday that resulted in a 2-1 victory for Alabama. It is not uncommon for collegiate sports teams to kick off their season with non-conference opponents in a neutral site. Orange Beach has become a prestigious venue for women’s Soccer due to the city hosting the SEC Championships during the final portion of the season. Even with Troy being the closer school to Orange Beach than the University of Alabama, the Crimson Tide was the home team. Alabama forward Auburn Mercer and Defender Caroline Alexander while Troy’s goalkeeper Mikki Lewis served as captains for the matchup.

The game did not start off in the Crimson Tide’s favor. With a minute and 37 seconds into the game, Alabama’s starting freshman Forward Chloe Maize went down to the ground due to a knee injury. Throughout the first half, the Crimson Tide seemed to get into the Trojans’ defending side of the field but could not capitalized against Troy’s Lewis in goal.

The Tide had some good offensive schemes that were read and disrupted at the last second, most by Troy’s defender Haley Roberson, a former Auburn Tiger. Offensively the Trojans were struggling to get past the defenders to get to the goalie. Alabama’s defenders were doing a great job of intercepting and stealing the ball from Troy’s forwards and midfielder almost every time. In the first half, Alabama attempted 5 shots while Troy could only attempt 2 shots with 2 saves from each team’s goalie. The half was mostly a defensive standout from both teams as the first half ended with a 0-0 score.

After halftime, the game became more intense for both teams with tough aggressiveness against the ball handler. The Troy Trojans switched out players to get more fresh players on the field. The Trojans played two goalkeepers throughout the second half while the Crimson Tide continued with Kat Stratton.

One of the teams finally came onto the board with 29 minutes and 46 seconds left in the game when Alabama’s Forward Lacey Clarida recovered an Alabama corner kick and quickly kicked the ball into the net giving Alabama the edge.

Not long after that, Troy switched out goalies for Haleigh Mercer, who is a freshman. Alabama’s offense became a more intense with time of possession as in the second half as Alabama had 14 more shot attempts. Once again, Troy’s Haley Roberson was a defensive wrecking machine against the Tide’s offense.

The final minute of the game was intense as Troy kicked a corner kick and got a score from a Nicole Strahl header with 45 seconds left in the game. 22 seconds later, Alabama’s Abbie Boswell scored on a penalty kick against the Trojan’s goalkeeper Haleigh Mercer.

With a 2-1 victory the Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0-1), will be looking to take this momentum against Sam Houston State Friday, Aug. 19. The Trojans (0-1) will be looking to rebound from their loss this Friday, Aug. 19 at Garner-Webb.