Racers' Hot Start Fades At Alabama

Sunday, August 21

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 p.m.

Murray State

0-1-0

Alabama

2-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Murray St.	2	0	2
Alabama	0	4	4

Photo by: Alabama Athletics

8/21/2016 9:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Box Score PDF

The Murray State soccer squad started fast, but ultimately couldn't finish off the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2016 season opener. The 4-2 loss for the Racers came after they burst to a 2-0 lead at the Alabama Soccer Complex in Tuscaloosa.

MSU junior Harriet Withers, the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, put the Racers in front in the 29^th minute with a goal that was assisted by Aaron Lankster. In the 42^nd minute, Lankster's shot was blocked, but Withers knocked home the rebound.

"In the first half we played very, very well," said Murray State head coach Jeremy Groves. "We looked comfortable and played good defensively. We scored twice and had two other good looks."

The Racers' 2-0 halftime lead came on nine shots, while the Crimson Tide kept MSU goalkeeper Alex Steigerwald busy with 12 shots.

In the second half, the Racers just couldn't stem the Crimson Tide's four unanswered goals. Alabama scored in the 50^th and 73^rd minutes to even the score and tacked on two more in the 80^th and 83^rd minutes for the 4-2 final.

Steigerwald played all 90 minutes for the Racers in net. She faced 26 shots and had six saves. Her four save in the first half made sure the Racers had the lead as the second half began.

At the end of the day, the Racers racked up 12 shots and put seven on goal.

"We made some bad mistakes in the second half which is disappointing," Groves added. "We didn't really make them earn their goals. But with that being said, we still had two great opportunities to score in the second half. This is a tough lesson to learn from, but we have an experienced group who will bounce back on Friday against Chattanooga."

The Racers return home to Cutchin Field on Friday (Aug. 26) to take on the Mocs of Chattanooga. Admission is free for the 4 p.m. start and the game will also be seen in online streaming video on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.

Game Notes
This was the first time the Racers had met Alabama.

MSU has two more games this season against Southeastern Conference opponents. At Vanderbilt (Sept. 1) and Kentucky (Sept. 11).

This marked the second-straight season that Murray State opened with an SEC opponent. The Racers won at Mississippi State in 2015 by a 2-1 score.

The two goals for Harriet Withers were her 17^th and 18^th career scores at MSU. This puts her in sixth place on the all-time MSU scoring list, just behind No. 5 Krista Muilkens who scored 22 goals for the Racers from 2005-08.

Junior Aaron Lankster's assist was the first in her MSU career.

Friday's home opener marks just the second meeting with Chattanooga. The Racers won the first game at home in 2000 by a 2-1 final. Racers are 2-4-1 all-time in home openers. With the loss to Bama, the Racers are 6-10-1 in season openers.