HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A pair of second half goals, including a penalty kick, were the difference as Alabama A&M (1-2, 1-1 SWAC) broke into the win column as they downed Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-4, 0-4 SWAC) by a 2-0 score in an NCAA Division I women's soccer game on Sunday, March 7.
Both teams would come out with a defensive mind set as the Bulldogs turned away seven shots in the first half, including five that required saves, and UAPB made saves on two of the three shots by sophomore forward
Makayla Rushing (Red Oak, Texas).
That 0-0 deadlock would persist into the second half and see only one shot in the final 45 minutes for the Golden Lions. It would be the complete opposite for A&M as they fired off 11 shots.
One of those would come in the 64
th minute as senior forward
Ayanna Gooden (Toronto, Ontario) served a ball from the left wing to the near right corner of the net. Waiting there to put a head on it was Rushing, who promptly delivered it to the back right corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead at the 63:43 mark.
UAPB would recover and turn away four more shots before they committed a foul in the box, giving the Bulldogs a penalty kick with 86:44 gone by. It would be an opportunity they would take full advantage of as sophomore forward
Jameela Barrett (London, England) drilled the ball to the back right corner of the net for what would be the eventual final margin of 2-0.
Rushing fired off five shots, putting three on net and one in it to lead Alabama A&M while Barrett added her PK to account for the scoring. Senior forward
Braejah Washington (Dallas, Texas) added three shots, all on goal, and senior goalkeeper
Jodi Medina (Coral Springs, Fla.) played all 90 minutes, making five saves for her first shutout of the season. She improves to 1-2 on the year.
Tobi McCoy put all three of her shots on net to lead the Golden Lions while Iyannah Hicks had three shots and one on goal. Kimberly Moss went the distance in net, allowing both goals against seven saves to fall to 2-4.
The Bulldogs are now off until they head to Jackson, Mississippi to take on Jackson State on Friday, March 12.
