ASHEVILLE, N.C. (August 15, 2026) – The University of North Alabama women's soccer team opened the 2026 season with a 3-3 result against UNC Asheville on Saturday afternoon at Greenwood Soccer Field in Asheville, N.C.
UNC Asheville (0-0-2) scored the final goal of the game with three seconds left to earn their second straight tie.
North Alabama (0-0-1) scored three goals in today's contest between freshman Maya Kelsch, sophomore Meg Welsh and senior captain Adelyn Speight.
This was the fourth time during the Chris Walker era where the Lions began the season with three or more goals in the opening game, including the first time since 2020 when they defeated Western Kentucky 4-1.
North Alabama had eight shots with three on goal shots finding their way into the net.
In the first two minutes of the game, Kelsch's first collegiate goal shot off the crossbar and bounced into the goal behind the leaping Bulldog keeper to make it a quick 1-0. The freshman midfielder's goal — officially recorded at 1:59 — is the fastest goal to start a game in the program's Division I history.
This goal is the fastest goal to start a season in program history. In 2010, UNA Hall of Famer Chloe Roberts scored a goal in the first 11 seconds of the game — however, this goal came in the second game of the 2010 season against Nova Southeastern.
Welsh, the leading returning goal scorer from a season ago, broke the stalemate in the first seven minutes of the second half for a 2-1 lead. Speight added her first goal since her 2023 freshman season to make it 3-1 at the 60-minute mark.
Defender Gracie Tyrrell and midfielder Maddie Reynolds both earned an assist in the first game of the season.
UNC Asheville scored three goals, two from midfielder Lili Adams, and the equalizer from Manuela Schreier. Asheville led the contest with 16 shots with more than half of thoseon goal.
In the first matchup in program history against Asheville, transfer keeper Emily Dorfman secured six saves in her Lion debut. The defense and backline, comprised of Speight, Tyrrell, Lilly Ford and Avery Smith, pushed seven Bulldog shots off target.
North Alabama secured five corner kicks, a metric the team averaged four per game in 2025. Gizelle El Assal delivered corner for the third goal of the game from Speight.
Four players saw full time in Dorfman, Speight, Ford and Tyrrell. Two freshmen made their first collegiate starts in Kelsch and Carolyn Federle. Three other freshmen — Haddie Patterson, Catherine Schniederhahn and Cara Pitzer — made their collegiate debuts. Midfielder Emerson Nieroda had 66 minutes for the most minutes among reserves.
From one bulldog battle to another, the Lions host the Bulldogs of Union University on Wednesday, August 19 at 7 p.m. at Cox Creek Sports Complex.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
