CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 22, 2024) – The University of North Alabama soccer team played its first Atlantic Sun Conference road match of the season Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C. against Queens University. The Royals won 1-0.
Queens (5-5) scored the lone goal of the game in the 24th minute from junior defender Savannah Stuart off of the assist by fifth-year forward Girah Durant. This was Stuart's first goal of the season which led the Royals to their first ASUN win.
North Alabama (3-5) had a corner kick and two shots in the first three minutes before Queens got their own corner kick and shot a few moments later. After the initial surge from UNA, the Royals swooped in with a big first half having 11 shots to just two more in the half for the Lions.
UNA was coming off a game where they saw their offense soar after 11 days off due to canceled games. The Lions scored three goals in their ASUN opener to blank the West Georgia Wolves. In that, head coach Chris Walker kept the same starting lineup — the first time since the squaring off with Alabama.
The Lions had a strong second half, doubling their shots from the first with eight total in the final 45 minutes. UNA had 10 total corners for the game with six coming in the second half. For the match, UNA out-cornered Queens 10-3 and were slightly out-shot, 15-12.
North Alabama missed two big opportunities with one coming from a Giada Aldini pass up midfield to Lexi Vernsey before junior goalkeeper Kelsey Jargstorf slid and blocked the shot before Vernsey could wrangle it in for the proper shot. Jargstorf was the ASUN Goalkeeper of the Week this past week.
The Lions missed a final goal opportunity with less than a minute to go coming from Adelyn Speight, who tried to sink it in the bottom right of the net before Jargstorf made another save.
North Alabama's defense showed in the second half, slicing the Royals shot total over half with only four shots in the second. Senior defender Saniya Johnson and sophomore defender Gracie Tyrrell made big stops to limit shots while pushing the ball back down the field for their offense.
The Lions stay on the road and play on Thursday, Sept. 26 against Austin Peay. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Morgan Bros. Field in Clarksville, Tenn.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
