A header by junior Marcela Ricupero late in the second half gave the AU Women's Soccer team a 3-2 win Monday over Alabama in its first game ever against a Southeastern Conference team. The win came in the second of two games at James Madison University this weekend.
"It was super exciting," said AU head coach Michael Brady. "We watched them ... after our game against Rhode Island. They were tremendously athletic and tremendously physical. We looked at it's as 'it's gonna be a fantastic challenge.'"
The win followed AU's tough 1-0 loss to Rhode Island Saturday. The Ram's lone goal came on a 13-yard shot by Thortan Helga Jonsdottir early in the first half.
Goalie Allison Doyle did her best to keep the Eagles in the game, registering 10 saves in the loss.
"I'm excited for Allie," Brady said. "She's worked hard this preseason, and she worked hard this spring. I think she appreciates the opportunity she's earned this fall and is trying to make the most of it."
But AU's inability to create scoring chances - Rhode Island outshot AU 19-8 - hurt the team in the end. Ricupero led the Eagles with five shots on goal.
The Eagles bounced back on Monday in their win against the Crimson Tide.
AU began the game strong when sophomore Meg Runeari scored her first goal of the season during the first half. At the 25:19 point, Runeari took a pass from junior Lena Winkler and hit a 12-yard shot past the Tide goalie.
Ahead 1-0 at halftime, the Eagles came out looking to pad their lead. They did just two minutes into the second half when Ricupero scored on a header of a free kick by Winkler. The goal was Ricupero's first this season.
Alabama responded, scoring two quick goals to tie the game. The first goal was scored on a header of a free kick by 'Bama player Libby Probst. The second came on a penalty kick just one minute later.
With the score tied, Winkler and Ricupero got together again as Ricupero again headed in a free kick by Winkler.
The goal, which came in the 88th minute, secured the win and gave Ricupero two for the game. Winkler's three assists tied a school record.
"It's really a fantastic win," Brady said. "It would have been fairly easy for a relatively young team like ours to go out there and be intimidated by a program such as Alabama's."
Doyle played well again, getting two saves and her second win of the season. Though the team had the same amount of corner kicks with six, the Tide outshot the Eagles, 8-4.
The win gave the Eagles a split of their two-game trip to JMU and leaves them with a record of 2-1.
