Women's Soccer Drops Season Opener

Friday, August 30

New Orleans, La.

7:00 PM

Tulane University

Alabama

Aug 30, 2002 | Women's Soccer

Aug. 30, 2002

NEW ORLEANS, La. - - Alabama scored three goals off set pieces en route to a 4-1 win over the Tulane women's soccer team at the Westfeldt Facility on Friday.

The game was the season opener for both squads and was the first-ever night home game in Tulane soccer history.

Alabama (1-0-0) wasted littled time getting on the score board, registering its first goal of the game barely 90 seconds into the contest. Cally Morrill lofted in a corner kick that found Katie Holtzapfel in the box and the Alabama junior headed it home to give the Crimson Tide a 1-0 advantage.

The Wave looked to have pulled a goal back in the 14th minute when Brook Parker's 25-yard effort caromed off the crossbar and down towards the goalline. Thinking a goal had been scored, players from both teams paused momentarily only to hear the referee shout "play on." Megan Stack followed the rebound with a header that also hit the underside of the crossbar and appeared to have bounced over the line, but when the Alabama goalkeeper snared the loose ball, the referee allowed play to continue without awarding the Green Wave a goal.

To make matters worse, the Crimson Tide were then the beneficiaries of another close call at the other end of the field just 10 minutes later. After earning a corner kick, Kim Zarzour sent a ball in towards the Tulane net, but the cross was volleyed away by a Tulane player at the back post. However, the linesman signaled to the referee that the ball had crossed the line and the Tide were awarded a goal to take a 2-0 lead.

The Wave pulled to within one in the 63rd minute on a Lindsay Morris penalty kick after an Alabama player was whistled for a hand ball inside her own 18-yard box. However, Alabama answered with another questionable goal just five minutes later on a play similar to their second goal. Cally Morrill's corner kick was cleared out by the Tulane defense, but the linesman again awarded Alabama a goal for a 3-1 Crimson Tide advantage. The Tide added a fourth in the 84th minute when Zarzour connected on a shot from just outside the 18-yard box.

"Even though the score was the same as last season, we have improved 100-fold in terms of our organization and intensity," Tulane head coach Betsy Anderson said. "We felt some of the calls were pretty suspect tonight, but you have to play through that. We are going to take the many positives in this game and try to learn from our mistakes and get ready for Tuesday."

The Green Wave recorded 10 shots and forced seven saves from the Alabama goalkeepers, while the Tide recorded eight shots.

Tulane returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 3., when the Green Wave play host to Northwestern State at the Westfeldt Facility. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.