Alabama, Auburn Stumble Out Of SEC Gate

It wasn’t the start Auburn and Alabama were looking for as they opened Southeastern Conference play.

The Tigers dropped a pair on league games, first falling to conference newcomer Missouri, 2-0, and then losing 2-1 to Florida in overtime.

The Crimson Tide opened conference play with back-to-back overtime games. Alabama dropped the first, losing 2-1 to #23 Tennessee on Kylie Bono’s game-winning goal.

They also played Louisiana State to a 1-1 draw.

Both the Tide and Lady Vols scored in the first 20 minutes of play, and it took almost 80 more minutes for the Lady Vols to get the victory.

Sophomore Laura Lee Smith (Jackson, MS) gave the Crimson Tide the lead in the 12th minute of play. Five minutes later Hannah Wilkinson equalized for UT.

LSU took a 1-0 halftime lead on a goal from Carlie Banks, but Pia Rijsdijk evened the score for Alabama in the 51st minute of play.

Auburn’s lone goal in the two SEC games was scored by Mary Coffed, slotting in her third goal of the season in the fifth minute of the Florida game.

Florida countered with goals from Holly King and Adriana Leon. The game-winner by Leon came with just 32 seconds left in the first overtime period.

Auburn went 4-3 in non-conference play, but did not fare well on a trip to California where the Tigers were beaten by Pepperdine and Cal-Irvine, both in one-goal losses.

Alabama (5-2-1) opened the season with five straight wins, including shutouts over Kennesaw State, UAB, South Alabama and Mercer, before dropping a 2-1 decision to Maryland in the last non-conference game.