Alabama opens season with win over Florida Atlantic

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Alabama soccer team recorded a 4-0 win in the season opener against Florida Atlantic Friday at the FAU Soccer Stadium. The Crimson Tide had four different players net goals with Riley Mattingly Parker scoring the game winner in the opening minute of action. Marianna Annest, Kate Henderson and Riley Tanner also scored goals in the game to give UA its 4-0 victory.

Alabama started competition Friday with a 1-0 lead and with 83 minutes left in the game after rain postponed competition the night before.

From Head Coach Wes Hart

“Great performance by our team today. We were able to play a lot of players, which definitely contributed to our success. There’s not a question that the quality of our depth was important today and will continue to be important this season.

“I was very pleased with our play on both sides of the ball. We are able to attack in a variety of ways. We created chances and scored goals. I thought we had some good spells of sustained possession and territory throughout.”

How It Happened

Alabama started the game hot with Riley Mattingly Parker scoring a goal just 48 seconds into the match. A corner kick from Felicia Knox, landed in the middle of the box and at the feet of Parker to redirect into the back of the net. Play would be suspended six minutes later due to weather, before resuming Friday morning at the FAU Soccer Stadium.

Alabama maintained its momentum from the night before, opening Friday’s competition strong. UA would secure a 6-1 lead in shots and a 7-1 lead in corners, eventually finding its second goal in the 44th minute. Marianna Annest, collected a failed clear from the FAU defense, to drive the ball into the left corner of the goal.

The second half mirrored the first with Alabama finding an early goal, this time from Kate Henderson. Gessica Skorka played a ball back to Macy Clem on the right wing, who fired a cross into the center of the box for Henderson to hit into the net on the first touch. Riley Tanner secured the fourth and final goal of the day off a cross from Gianna Paul. Tanner fought her way through a crowd to get her head on the ball and send it past the keeper.

Game Notes

• Parker highlighted her return to the pitch, recording the game-winning goal in the opening minute of the game
• Annest scored her first goal in Crimson and White, while Henderson netted her sixth career goal and Tanner netted her fourth at Alabama
• Four different players tallied an assist in the game with Knox assisting Parker’s game-winning goal, Clem and Skorka assisting Henderson’s goal and Paul assisting Tanner’s goal
• McKinley Crone secured her first shutout of the season with two saves in the game

Next

• Alabama heads to Coral Gables, Fla., to face Miami in a Sunday matchup
• The game at Cobb Stadium will kick off at 4 p.m. CT on ACCNX