FLORENCE, Ala. (October 26, 2024) – The University of North Alabama soccer team finalized the 2024 season Sunday afternoon, as the Lions lost a heartbreaker to Atlantic Sun Conference contender Central Arkansas. The final score was 2-1.
 
North Alabama brought a renewed energy to the afternoon game with players dancing and smiles shown all around before starting Senior Day.  Eight seniors were recognized for their contributions to the Lion program. 
 
The eight include defenders Malin Andersson, Montana Merkle and Saniya Johnson; forwards Haley Patterson, Hope Lensing and Abby Patterson; midfielder Kellie Hovis and goalkeeper Piper Gallaher. Andersson, Haley Patterson, Johnson, Lensing, Hovis and Abby Patterson all made their final starts. 
 
The Lions (3-14) hosted the final game of the season at the Cox Creek Sports Complex bringing Central Arkansas (9-6-2) to town. The Bears came into this matchup as the second-ranked ASUN team in the standings with an 8-1-2 conference record. 
 
The new energy from North Alabama saw the Lions on the attack early, pushing the ball down the field to set up two quick shots for Haley Patterson, the team's shot leader. Andersson and Johnson kept the juice on the other side of the pitch with blocking multiple Central Arkansas shots.
 
Junior goalkeeper Allanah Blye was kept busy in both halves, as she notched five saves for each 45 played. Blye secured four saves before the first goal of the game came from UCA's Kelly Van Gundy off of a free kick in the 36th minute. 
 
Blye notched a season-high of 10 saves. Sophomore goalkeeper Thordis Melsted previously set it at nine against North Florida. 
 
The Lions surged back in the second half, delivering crisp passes en route to a Senior Day goal thanks to Haley Patterson in the 73rd minute. As Patterson breaks through for her first goal in conference play, freshman forward Abigail Witten credits with the first assist while freshman defender Langley Wallace receives the other off the throw-in. 
 
With the game tied 1-1, the Lions started flying around the field to put pressure on the Bears defenders. Head coach Chris Walker saw the perfect opportunity to bring in some rested legs as he checks in six subs in the 78th minute with the likes of captain Molly Parham for a corner kick.  
 
Abby Patterson put the goal kick on the front right of the goal with the opportunity for a shot from sophomore midfielder Adelyn Speight that bounced off the right post for a Bears goal kick.
 
The goal kick got pushed downfield into the feet of Central Arkansas' Jama Akpanudo where she was smothered by Johnson. Johnson runs her into a meeting with Blye, as Akpanudo tips it in between the two where it inches over the line for the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute. 
 
As time started to wind down, the Lions continued their aggressive play and get to their offensive scheme for their seventh and final corner kick of the game. Speight lined it up from the close side as she puts it in the air with just enough under it so that the 5-foot-11 Lensing could get to it. Lensing's 86th minute shot bounced off her head and looked to go in to the top of the goal before it hit the crossbar to bounce out of play. 
 
Patterson finishes the season with 33 shots with 16 on goal — 15 more shots than the next Lion on the team and nine more on goal. She finishes second in goals and points for the 2024 season. 
 
"I'm extremely grateful for everything this group of eight have done over their time here at North Alabama," said Walker in regards to this senior class. "It has been a tough season where we have had to deal with a lot of adversity. When we got five season ending injuries it would have been easy for the group to give up but credit to the seniors for still working hard and leading by example every day."
 
Walker mentioned the season ending injuries that the Lions procured such as captains defender Montana Merkle and forward Alice Bussey. The transfer forward Parker Martin and transfer midfielder Emma Armstrong were added to that list during the season. The sophomore forward and local Florence High School product Olivia Patterson finalizes the group. 
This is the first season that North Alabama did not finish a game with a tie since 2019. UNA's final two non-conference games against Alabama State and Alcorn State were canceled. The Lions 2024 season comes to a close with a 3-14 record.
  
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