HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In what looked to be another stellar defensive effort by the Alabama State University women's soccer team, a tally with 52 seconds remaining blemished an otherwise flawless performance, giving the Alabama A&M Bulldogs a 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon in the team's second game of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) competition on the Bulldog Soccer Field.
As both teams tied their respective SWAC openers, they hoped to discover how they could succeed at putting points on the board against SWAC opponents. The Lady Hornets (0-8-2, 0-1-1 SWAC) proved to have a great defense last Sunday at home, something it hoped to replicate against a Bulldogs (3-4-3, 1-0-1 SWAC) team that reached the SWAC semifinals a season ago.
It looked like another stalemate for the two sides, as AAMU didn't get a shot off until the 13th minute and ASU's lone first-half shot came in the 34th minute. The teams combined for four first-half shots, with three missing around the frame, one being blocked and none being on target.
The Hornets and Bulldogs came out of the break swinging, as each team took a shot in the first five minutes of play. The first on-target shot, a low left strike by
Kiana Lopez Wilson, was saved in the 58th minute, and just two of the next ten shots over the next 20 minutes were on target, both coming off of Bulldog boots and being saved by ASU keeper
Deetya Satyal.
As the clock wound down, the final effort at a goal for the visitors was made by freshman
Tamami Nishio, the team leader in points and goals; however, the 79th-minute attempt sailed high.
ASU pressured the Bulldogs into three more off-target shots in the final ten minutes before some personnel changes and a pair of throw-ins positioned the home squad perfectly for what would end up being a walk-off goal by Albany Rios to seal the game.
Alabama A&M broke through the pressure after attempting 18 shots (3 on target) compared to ASU's five and one, respectively. The Maroon and White side had eight corners to help dominate its offensive side of the pitch.
Lopez Wilson once again led the team in shots with two, attempting the only shot on goal for ASU's side while playing 13 minutes off the bench. Nishio,
Tiana Griego and
Lamya Foughal each had a solo shot to round out the team's attacking effort.
Satyal made the most of her first start in over a month, posting her best numbers on the young season with a pair of saves while facing the highest amount of opposing pressure on the year. AAMU counterpart Adriana Durango made one save on the day in a winning performance.
The Lady Hornets wrap up its short, two-game road trip with a trip to Prairie View, Texas, when it takes on Prairie View A&M on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. at the PVAMU Soccer Complex before returning home the following Sunday, Oct. 11, for a matchup with Grambling State at the ASU Soccer Complex at 1 p.m.
