The LSU Soccer team suffered its first loss of the season in a back-and-forth affair Friday night against Alabama.
The Crimson Tide scored one minute into the second overtime period, giving it a 3-2 victory over the Tigers (4-1-2, 0-1 Southeastern Conference).
The loss snapped a six game winning streak for the Tigers in Tuscaloosa, making it their first loss at the Alabama Soccer Stadium since 2007.
Alabama’s winning goal came off a corner kick from freshman forward Emma Welch as junior midfield Celia Jimenez Delgado finished the play.
Only managing to score twice this season before Friday night, the Crimson Tide exceed its goal total for the season in a single outing tonight.
“We started pretty strong, but we certainly struggled to defend them in the midfield,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “We were chasing more than we wanted, and we gave up too many corners. They scored a couple of goals off of those.”
Alabama outshot the Tigers 33-8 and drew 13 corner kicks on the night while LSU drew just two.
LSU was down a player for both of the over time periods after senior defender Alex Arlitt was sent off in the 76th minute following a scuffle with an Alabama player.
“They had a late challenge that the girl was carded for,” Lee said. “I haven’t seen the tape yet. They say Alex retaliated while she was on the ground, but i think she might’ve just been protecting herself from the Alabama player falling on her.”
Sophomore forward Jorian Baucom and junior forward Summer Clarke picked up where they left off in their last game, a two-goal performance for both players against Indiana, and scored a goal each for LSU in the loss.
Clarke put the Tigers on the board first from outside the box as she faked out an Alabama defender and buried a shot inside the far corner in the 21st minute.
Although Alabama had more chances than LSU throughout the game, the Crimson Tide didn’t get on the scoreboard until the 72nd minute when sophomore forward Chatham Deprospo headed in the equalizer off a corner kick from Welch.
Despite only having 10 players, LSU scored a go-ahead goal three minutes later in the 75th minute as Baucom smashed a lead pass from senior midfielder Lexi Gibbs into the back of the net.
Alabama scored its second equalizer in the 79th minute when sophomore forward Alexis Mouton collected a loose ball just outside the box and put it just inside the near post.
In the first overtime, Baucom had a clear shot to win the game but missed wide right as time expired. Alabama scored just moments into the second overtime, giving LSU a loss in its first conference game.
The Tigers will try to bounce back at noon on Sunday when they host the Duke Blue devils at the LSU Soccer Stadium.