Thus ended the Alabama dream ride.
The season of the Crimson Tide, a program that was dropped once a year after winning its first NCAA Tournament, ended the game without a title. UCLA ended the run with his 3–0 win over Alabama in the NCAA semifinals.
The season ended with a 23-3-1 record for the Alabama team, which did not suffer the attacks that fueled this breakout season.
This was a Crimson Tide team averaging 20.3 shots (4th in the nation) and 2.92 goals (2nd in the nation), but they couldn’t manage that level of production against the Bruins. UCLA outscored the Tide 20-11 and he was 11-7 in shots on goal.
The shutout was the first of the season for an Alabama team who were more than two goals behind at any point in the season.
“We didn’t want this game to define us,” said Alabama coach Wes Hart.
Tide had a chance. Riley Mattingly Parker appeared to have broken a scoreless first half draw with a ball headed into the net. The celebration was short as the offside was called.
“It sucked,” she said later. “It’s obviously not fun to get that goal back. Felicia (Knox) has a great ball and I just laid it out for it and it felt ‘cute’. I was getting ready to celebrate and when I looked up I saw the linesman raising the flag. “
And after halftime, two shots missed the post by just inches.
Meanwhile, UCLA equalized with a Raelyn Turner goal in the 29th minute. They held his 1–0 lead into halftime, effectively ending the game in a two-minute blitz. Goals by Quincy McMahon and Madeline Desiano in the 51st and 53rd minutes put them in a rout.
“They got some absolute bangers,” Parker said. Literally over 90. What are you talking about?
Hart said he thinks the Tide can push UCLA a little further and generate some more sales.
“But let’s be fair,” he said. “That’s the best team”
After leading a program that had only had one cup of NCAA coffee before, Hart never lost sight of the big picture.
“Aside from these guys and 27 other people in the locker room, no one believed in us before the season started. You didn’t give me love or attention, and I hope many of you have become believers with the record you broke this season.”
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. follow him on twitter @ByCasagrande or Facebook.
