A late-game chance from the Crimson Tide and misfires from the Texas offense allowed the Crimson Tide to recover a point in the waning moments of Longhorn’s first-ever SEC game drawing at 2-2.
Scoring in only the second minute of their first game in SEC conference play, the Longhorns didn’t take long to take the advantage. A cross from senior midfielder Ashlynn Miller into the six-yard box was met by freshman forward Amalia Villarreal who fired the cross home, making it 1-0 for Texas.
This would be Villarreal’s third goal in her freshman campaign and now has the recognition of being the first official goal scorer for the Texas Longhorns in SEC play.
Continuing the early onslaught, senior midfielder Jilly Shimkin would find the ball after a few bounces in the box and would fire a strike into the back of the net, increasing the Texas lead to two.
However, Texas would not go into the break with a 2-0 lead.
A late challenge by graduate defender Lauren Lapomarda would lead to a free kick for the Crimson Tide’s sophomore midfielder Nadia Ramadan would send the ball rifling into Texas’s goal, cutting the team’s lead to just one goal on the brink of the halftime whistle.
This goal would snap the two-game clean sheet streak that the Texas Longhorns defense has been riding, an obvious display of quality from the opposing Crimson Tide who has scored two or more goals in eight of their games this season.
“It’s the 10 (outfield) people ahead, it’s everyone,” head coach Angela Kelly said. “We got to defend together and attack together.”
As time was winding down in the second half, Alabama found a late break with a cross from senior midfielder Leah Kunde and a point-blank header into the back of the net by junior midfielder Isabel Smith, who scored her first goal of the season, tying the game.
The game would ultimately end with shared points after 90 minutes of a physical and demanding battle in the opening matchup in SEC play.
“This is a tough tough league and you have to play 90 minutes,” Kelly said. “We go away with a point and (were) very disappointed.”
Texas will have to regroup quickly as its next game is played away against No. 24 Mississippi State on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
“We’re going to regroup,” Kelly said. “What’s happened, happened. We’re going to be Texas and be ready to hit the road.”
