Vestavia Hills, Ala. – After an offensive-minded first half that saw both Alabama State and Howard University rack up a pair of goals, the match turned defensive, physical and was won by a late, dramatic goal in the 86^th minute by Bison forward Nia Walcott to lift Howard to a 3-2 conference win against ASU at the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex.   
 
Lady Hornets' sophomore striker Aaliyah Lewis had a memorable match, however, fighting for balls, finding space around defenders and showing off her ball-handling skills. 

Lewis displayed finesse as she scored twice in the first half alone, but sat out the opening 25 minutes of the second half with muscle tightness. 
 
Lewis' fourth goal of season got ASU on the board first in the fifth minute off a pretty pass from junior Shelbi Vienna-Hallam. 

The pass was directed in a paralleled direction and Lewis was able to finish just inside the right corner of the net. 
 
That lead held until the 17th minute when Howard evened it on a goal by Nikayna Clark who shot into the far left corner. 

The Bison went up 2-1 less than seven minutes later when a corner kick lofted by Carmen Suarez was headed in by Dytria Ruddy.   
 
The Lady Hornets (3-9 overall, 0-3 SWAC) struck back though and would head into halftime tied up at 2-2 when Lewis found the left corner of the net for her fifth goal of the season and 23^rd of her career. 

Sophomore Kayla Edwards was awarded with her second career assist.
 
Possession was distributed nearly evenly amongst the teams in the opening half, but ASU held a seven to five shots advantage.    
 
Things turned in the favor of the Bison (5-7-1 overall, 4-0 SWAC) in the second half as Howard outshot ASU 10-4 after halftime and 15-11 for the match. 
 
The Bison, who have now won five consecutive matches including four within the SWAC, nearly scored on a ball that drifted about a foot away from the corner of the post on a wild scramble for the ball in front of the net. 
 
In the 70^th minute, Lewis checked back into the match and was able to provide ASU with some offensive pressure on the Bison defense. 

On one sequence, Lewis worked quickly to juke a defender and got the ball up to Edwards, who fired just wide of the net.  
 
Walcott scored her second game-winner, shortly thereafter, for her sixth goal of the season. 
 
The Lady Hornets' goalkeeper Kylee Hathaway made four saves while Bison counterpart Kyra Dickinson matched her total with four saves as well. 
 
Next, Alabama State will return home and meet Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday at 7 p.m. in a SWAC contest.

#GOHORNETS#