JONESBORO, Ark. – Rookie Japanese midfielder
Tamami Nishio had a breakout performance for the Alabama State University women's soccer team on Sunday afternoon, scoring goals in the first and second half on the way to a 2-2 draw against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at the A-State Soccer Complex.
The Hornets (0-5-1 overall) leave behind its eight-game skid in Arkansas, withstanding 24 opposing shots (10 on goal) thanks to an eight-save performance from freshman
Valentina Espinel. The Red Wolves (1-2-2) were able to tie the game with a pair of second-half tallies, but couldn't get past the rookie goaltender as it tied for the second time in three games.
Alabama State wasted no time getting on the board, as Nishio's first tally came in the third minute from defender
Queenster Mensah. It was the first attempt from either team on the afternoon, and it was the fastest Alabama State goal since an eight second strike against Alcorn State in the first round of the Southwest Athletic Conference Championship Tournament in April of 2021.
Despite seven shots and six corner kicks in the first period, the Red Wolves were left a goal behind at the break. Alabama State had attempted just one more shot in the half – a 14th-minute attempt from
Serenity Safeeullah – but the Hornets had all the leverage heading into the final 45 minutes.
Just as quickly as ASU scored the game's first goal, the host team countered with a goal in the first three minutes of the next period. Several more attempts were peppered in throughout the next 20 minutes by the Red Wolves, one of which found the back of the net to make it a 2-1 lead for Arkansas State.
After several mid-second-half substitutions by the Hornets, Nishio struck again in the upper left corner of the net to knot things up in the 66th minute. The achievement of her first goal coming in a two-goal performance was the first such occurrence since Elli Higashi in October 2022.
The teams continued to battle, including a flurry of shots from Arkansas State in the ensuing 15 minutes and a trio of last-ditch efforts by Alabama State, but the game, albeit competitive until the end, couldn't determine a winner in the 90 minutes.
Nishio and Safeeullah had two shots apiece, with the former connecting on both. Espinel, making her second start and fourth appearance of the season, made eight saves in the face of 24 total shots, a more high-pressure afternoon than the Red Wolves' Taylor Sweat, who had three saves on eight shots.
Out of the eight shots, five were on goal, making it one of the more effective outings of the season for the Hornets offense. The Red Wolves led in corners, 12-2, while the game featured 25 combined fouls and six total yellow cards.
The Lady Hornets remain on the road for the next two weekends, traveling to Georgia for a battle against the Mercer Bears (Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.) before returning to Alabama to face the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (Sept. 13 at 5 p.m.) to complete its non-conference slate. The team returns home for its first conference battle against Alcorn State on Sunday, Sept. 27, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at ASU Soccer Complex.
