MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Auburn University at Montgomery women's soccer team (4-5-3; GSC: 2-4-1) earned a 1-0 victory over West Alabama (1-8-1; GSC: 0-6-1) Wednesday evening at AUM Soccer Stadium, with Courtney Pigford scoring the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute to lift the Warhawks to the conference victory.
COACH ROBERTSONS' COMMENTS
"We've responded to challenges and grown and adapted all year, and I'm very happy with how our team persevered tonight down the stretch when it mattered.
"That was a very fitting performance during AUM's mental health week and for our mental health spotlight game tonight — we showed up for each other, we trusted each other, and we fought for this together. Nobody can do this thing alone and the goal, the clean sheet and the victory were a total team effort."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
West Alabama created the first chances of the match, with Tianna Klysh recording a shot in the third minute before two more Tigers added attempts in the seventh and eighth minutes. Jimenez Perez tested freshman Leslie Azouer again in the 13th minute, but the AUM goalkeeper made the save to keep the match scoreless.
The Warhawks began to create opportunities of their own, as forward Eva Hendriks recorded a shot in the 16th minute before Courtney Pigford sent an attempt wide in the 18th minute.
Chloe Wallace and Natahley Sabens followed with shots in the 19th and 21st minute, respectively, and AUM earned a pair of corner kicks during the stretch.
AUM created another strong chance in the 36th minute when Wallace put a shot on goal, but West Alabama goalkeeper Yumari Hernandez made the save. The Tigers added two more attempts in the 39th and 41st minutes, though both went high as the teams remained scoreless at halftime.
Second Half
AUM came out of halftime looking to break the scoreless deadlock, with Wallace forcing a save from West Alabama goalkeeper in the 50th minute. The Tigers answered with two shots over the next three minutes, but neither found the mark. The Warhawks continued to create chances, as Beatrice Sales hit the woodwork in the 59th minute before Izzy Morley put a shot on goal that Hernandez saved moments later.
West Alabama began to apply more pressure midway through the half, but Azouer came up with back-to-back saves on Sofia Jimenez Perez and Holly Gillies in the 65th and 67th minutes.
Pigford forced another save from Hernandez in the 72nd minute.
The Tigers continued to test Azouer late, with the AUM goalkeeper making another save on Kya Jacobs in the 77th minute before stopping Jade Arruda in the 81st minute. AUM finally broke through in the 83rd minute, as Pigford found the back of the net to give the Warhawks a 1-0 lead, her second goal of the season.
West Alabama pushed forward in the final minutes, but Azouer continued to keep the Tigers off the board, making another save in the 84th minute. The Tigers recorded several more shots and a corner kick in the closing minutes, but none found the back of the net as AUM held on for the 1-0 victory.
Notables
- Courtney Pigford scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute, marking her second goal of the season, and playing all 90 minutes of the contest.
- Leslie Azouer recorded six saves while playing all 90 minutes, earning her fourth shutout of the season.
- AUM held West Alabama scoreless despite the Tigers recording 25 shots, including six on goal.
- The Warhawks put five of their 10 shots on goal, with Pigford and Chloe Wallace each recording two shots on target.
- AUM earned its second GSC victory of the season and improved to 4-5-3 overall and 2-4-1 in conference play.
- Lily Hillegas played all 90 minutes on the AUM back line, for the fifth time this season, as the Warhawks posted the clean sheet.
- Natahley Sabens and Eva Hendriks each recorded shots in the victory, playing 85 and 86 minutes, respectively.
Up Next
The Warhawks will hit the road on Saturday, October 10, traveling to Cleveland, Mississippi, to take on the Delta State Lady Statesmen, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. CT.
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