Soccer shuts out LSU in Power of Pink game

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CW / Joe Will Field

Alabama soccer picked up its third SEC win of the season Sunday, shutting out LSU 3-0 in the Power of Pink game.

After a sluggish start, two goals at the end of the first half propelled the Crimson Tide onward towards the shutout.

“We knew that they were going to come out with some fight today,” Acoach Wes Hart said. “Our message to the group was once we get that first one, it’s gonna break their spirit a little bit. And sure enough it did, and we were able to get the second one right away.”

The win in regulation is the Crimson Tide’s first SEC victory of the season to end after 90 minutes of play.

Both Alabama and LSU started the first 40 minutes of the game scoreless. Both teams had scoring opportunities, but neither side could capitalize. However, the Crimson Tide drew first blood in the 41st minute, with junior midfielder Taylor Morgan scoring her first goal of the season, assisted by freshman midfielder Serena Pham.

“It was a team goal,” Morgan said. “It wasn’t just me. It came from the freshman — Serena — on the outside who’s been tearing it up all season with opening balls, and I think it just really broke the ice and we finally opened up and started playing our game and do what we’re capable of doing.”

Exactly three minutes later, Alabama added to its lead with a goal by sophomore midfielder Kat Rogers. Junior forward Chloe Maize picked up the assist.

At the half, the Crimson Tide headed into the locker room up by two over the Tigers.

Just like the first half, the second half would remain scoreless until the final minutes. This time, Alabama’s freshman midfielder Macy Clem scored her third goal of the season in the 87th minute, assisted by freshman midfielder Allie Berk.

LSU was unable to retaliate in the final minutes, and Alabama closed out the 3-0 shutout.

The Crimson Tide outshot the Tigers 20-3, with Rogers leading the team with four shots and three of them being on goal.

Freshman goalkeeper A.J. Crooks played all 90 minutes between the posts, recording one save. The importance on the team picking up three points in the win was not lost on the goalkeeper.

“We knew our main goal going into this game was just getting that three points and we wanted to win in regulation time because it’s been awhile since we’ve done that,” Crooks said. “And another main point that we wanted to emphasize on was getting that shutout, and I think we were just focused on that all game.”

Alabama is now tied with Texas A&M for second in the SEC standings with only four games left before the SEC Tournament.

With the win, the Crimson Tide is now 8-4-2 overall, and is 3-2-1 in the SEC. LSU drops to 2-10-2 with the loss, and is 0-5-1 in the conference.

“I think it was a good game for us,” Hart said. “Not an easy game. I mean, you look at [LSU’s] record and you think ‘Okay, yeah, that should be an easy win,’ but we knew they have good athletes and good players. They’re just kind of in a rut with their confidence.”

Up next, the Crimson Tide will travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to take on the Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network.